“I’d Never Put Asterisk Behind That”: Former NBA Champion Takes a Strong Stance for the 2020 NBA Title Winners

The NBA season will be continued in a bubble, leaving many unconvinced that it will crown a real winner. Shaquille O’Neal was one of the biggest names to be advocating an “asterisk” for the 2019-20 NBA Champion. He said, “It’s an asterisk baby. It will count for some people, but I’m not changing my opinion.”

But now his ‘Inside the NBA’ co-host, Kenny Smith has rubbished these ideas, saying he would never put an asterisk.

During the ‘Da Windy City’ podcast with Mark Carman, Smith talked about this asterisk branding. “When you’re playing against the 320-350 best of anything, I don’t care if it’s for one month or one day, (if) you come out on top, there’s no asterisk behind that. These are the best 350 players in the world.”

Should the NBA attach an asterisk to the winner’s name?

The Jet then compared the All-Star Game MVP title to this situation. “That’s like saying, you got the MVP at the All-Star game, but it was only one game. So you get asterisked. You ain’t really the best All-Star. No, you’re the MVP of the All-Star game. There’s no asterisk behind that. It was one day, you were the best. This is who is the best for me. I’d never put an asterisk behind that.”

Smith’s opinion has the backing of Celtics coach Brad Stevens as well as last year’s MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Stevens said, “Whoever wins is going to really earn it,” while Giannis said, “It’s going to be the toughest championship you could ever win.”

To not acknowledge the work put in by a team, whether it is for an 82 game season or lesser, will not be fair for them. There may be multiple players missing, but at the end of the day, as Kenny Smith said, it’s still the best 350 players of the world. Who better to prove yourself against?

With just three weeks left for the return at Orlando, the excitement level for the fans will be going through the roof. After months of no action, players too will be eager to hit the hardwood. Asterisk or not, by October we will see a champion crowned. Will it be LeBron’s Lakers ending their drought or will it be the Bucks, led by MVP candidate Giannis? Only time will tell.