NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is not one to shy away from speaking his mind out on trending issues. Whether it is something pertaining to the basketball court or an issue outside of it, O’Neal rarely fails to speak out on it.
Recently, talking on his podcast, the former NBA champion touched upon Draymond Green and Jordan Poole. The Golden State Warriors stars have been in the news following their physical altercation during a practice session. Green punched Poole which sent shockwaves across the NBA world.
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Unlike his peers across the NBA world, Shaquille O’Neal is not furious with Draymond. He asserted that incidents like these happen all the time across various sports. Moreover, he also said that such incidents bring teammates closer.
Shaq said, “It builds character and it brings them closer together and it keeps the pecking order or the status where it should be. Yeah, he was a vital part of winning the championship but you are no general. You’re still a soldier, so be a soldier.“
Similar to Draymond Green‘s incident, Shaquille O’Neal also supported eminent actor Will Smith over Chris Rock. Smith was all over the news following his infamous slap during the Oscars. This triggered responses from all around the world and Shaq was not one to be left behind.
Shaquille O’Neal came out in support of Will Smith
The slap gate incident during the 94th Academy Awards was one of the biggest highlights of this year. Chris Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada. This wasn’t taken well by Smith and he went on to slap Rock. While many supported what Will Smith did, many were not in favor of his actions.
Shaq said, “I’m never going to say I was wrong for throwing that punch at Brad Miller. You’re never going to hear me say it. It happened, we moved on.“
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He referenced one of his most controversial moments while he played for the Los Angeles Lakers. He punched Brad Miller of the Chicago Bulls in 2002 and the NBA fined him $15,000. Moreover, he was suspended for three games.
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Do you agree with what Shaquille O’Neal said? Let us know in the comments down below.