During the Olympics, Shaquille O’Neal gave a startling revelation about not watching Team USA. “They scare me,” the Lakers legend very early on formed his opinion on the team and proceeded to carry out different events during the Paris 2024 games. Ultimately, it took Stephen Curry’s out-of-the-world performance to clinch the Gold. And that exactly is the worrisome moment that Shaq shared on a podcast.

“So matter of fact, this is probably the last Olympics that the US is going to win.” The Big Aristotle spoke to Roberto Mtz, a Mexican author. “Cause next Olympics is be no LeBron, no KD, and no Steph so anybody could take it. I’m looking at Joker’s team, they’re probably going to do something and France.”

Before reaching the verdict, he highlighted that the gap had decreased between other countries and Team USA. During the 1992 Dream Team or during his Olympics, the gap was higher. That’s why the teams were able to earn blowout victories against any opponents. The 1996 teams consisted of Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, Reggie Miller, Grant Hill, David Robinson, and Shaq, among others. It was enough to seal the victories with 20 and even 3o points.

Only against silver medalist Yugoslavia, Bronze medalist Lithuania, and an exceptional quarter-finalist Brazil, the win was only with a margin of 20 points. But the rest of the team was swept away around the margin of 30 points. Not just Shaquille O’Neal who expressed his concerns on the Creativo episode, but even Kevin Garnett had issued a warning sign to the Olympics 2028 squad.

“Man Evan Fournier, he got the formula. He just ran out of time, bro. He actually thought man we could beat the Americans I got young Wemby.” KG said on his podcast after Curry’s performance bailed out Team USA. Fournier even reshared the clip from the podcast, “Thank you for being an inspiration since day 1.”

He finished as the team’s third-highest points scorer with an average of 9.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, helping the team with a strong start in the Finals. Though Team USA took the lead, they were threatened to be overtaken throughout the game, presenting the concern for Garnett and Shaq.

Shaquille O’Neal and the National team saga present a complicated situation

Despite his 19-year NBA career, Shaq appeared in the Olympics only once. “It came down to me and Christian Laettner, and they gave it to him because he had more international experience, whatever the hell that meant.” Shaquille was in contention as the only rookie on the team, but Laettner got the last call. So heading into the 1996 Olympics, he was motivated.

We all know how the 4x NBA Champion motivates himself from jealousy.”I barely played in the gold medal game. I played about five minutes total. [Coach Lenny] Wilkens put me in for the final fifteen seconds. I think I had 2 points.” And he ended the tournament with a dismal average of 9.4 points, and 4.6 rebounds with just 16 minutes of action on average.

“I was really disappointed. After we won, I took my medal, and I jumped in my car, and I drove home.” He even refused the call for the 2000 Olympics. Despite him not rating Victor Wenbanyama for an NBA career, Shaq surely has high hopes for Team Les Bleus, and has sent the warning call ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics.