NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal once admitted that he treats his daughters and sons differently.
Former NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal has wasted his fair share of money during his playing career, but he learned from his mistakes and created a multi-million-dollar empire in recent years.
Despite having an estimated net worth of about $500 million, all six of O'Neal's children aren't treated equally.
In fact, he once explained that his three daughters, Taahirah, Amirah, and Me'arah, have 'more privileges' than his sons, Myles, Shareef, and Shaqir.
O'Neal made the revelation during an August 2026 appearance on the 'It's Sommer Time' podcast. The LA Lakers legend's reasoning has nothing to do with how close he is with his children.

#children

Mac McClung may have conquered NBA All-Star Weekend, but he just met his match in an accounting intern who threw down a viral dunk to pull off a $500,000 shocker.
Dunkman is a professional league dedicated entirely to competitive dunking, bringing together high-flyers from across the globe. The league's premier event, the Dunkman World Championship, pits top-tier athletes against each other in a multi-stage tournament boasting a massive $500,000 top prize.
Headline star Mac McClung entered the showcase as the headline heavy favorite. A household name among hoop fans after cementing his legacy by becoming the first player in history to win three consecutive NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contests.
Shaquille O'Neal is the founder and commissioner of the Dunkman league, while Draymond Green serves as part of the primary broadcast and commentary crew alongside dunk legend Vince Carter, popular hoops creator CashNasty, and host Adam Lefkoe.
Cam Hazzard pulled off the ultimate shocker to walk away with the inaugural Dunkman World Championship and a life-changing $500,000.

#championship

Where to watch Dunkman World Championship: Channel, time, TV schedule, finalists for 2026 Shaq competition finals originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The first of its kind, Shaquille O'Neal's professional league Dunkman is getting ready to crown its inaugural dunking champion this week.
Basketball Hall of Famer and entertainment personality Shaq revolutionized the world of dunking when he debuted a professional avenue for the spectacle earlier this year. Dunkman is the first and only established league dedicated to competitive dunking, and has already made waves in its inaugural season.
In the league's format, 24 of the world's best dunkers competed across four group-stage events to claim a spot in the World Championship field. Now only eight athletes remain, and they will battle it out for the **** le and $500,000 prize on Tuesday.
Who will reign supreme in the world of dunking?

#dunking #first #inaugural

On the heels of this year's Naismith Hall of Fame ceremony, Mychal Thompson is calling for a former LA Lakers player to be inducted next. Thompson, however, isn't making a case for himself.
Instead, the two-time NBA champion during the Lakers' "Showtime" era tweeted on Monday that a former teammate of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant deserves HOF honors.
"OK [Basketball] Halla Fame…Time to Induct Robert Horry…What's the hold up?"
The opinion drew different reactions from fans, with some supporting the idea of Horry getting a Hall of Fame induction and others arguing that he wasn't worthy of one.
One netizen posited the idea that the 2003-04 Lakers would have won the NBA championship had they kept Horry in the lineup, instead of signing Karl Malone. Thompson went on to respond.

#thompson #horry #instead #time

Shaquille O'Neal may never realize his dream of being a part of Marvel's Avengers.
In a recent interview with Variety, the NBA legend says that because his personal brand overshadows his characters, he has officially laid his Marvel ambitions to rest.
"I wanted to be in the Avengers, and they were like, 'Shaq, we f—in' love you and we'd love to put you in, but if your face pops up on screen, people are going to go, 'Hey, that's Shaq!' O'Neal said. "He said it truthfully, and I was like, alright… I guess my face is too bigtime."
O'Neal also shared that his fame has cost him other opportunities.
"I would love to do more action roles, but we were told by top Hollywood executives that I'm too big, and what they mean by that is when I pop up on the screen everyone will go, 'Oh, that's Shaq!' " he explained. "So, if I'm trying to play a doctor or anything, my character won't be believable."

#shaq #marvel

The Philadelphia 76ers will have a lot of expectations placed upon them in the 2026-27 season after they swung a huge deal to acquire Jaylen Brown and then landed LeBron James in free agency. That star duo will join established stars such as Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.
Embiid seems like the forgotten man at times when considering the talent around him now. Of course, that's what happens when injuries take a toll, but the big fella is still as dominant as they come when he is on the floor. The 2023 MVP winner was a huge part of the Sixers rallying from 3-1 to eliminate the Boston Celtics in Round 1 and will be a big part of any success they have in the coming season.
Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal has high expectations for the new-look Sixers, but for Embiid, specifically, he wants to see him wrestle the best big man ***** le away from Nikola Jokic:
Championship or bust. You got the great LeBron. You got great Embiid, who was, like three or four years ago, Charles (Barkley) and I would always say how he's the best big man. Joker has surpassed him. I will be honest, making a name for himself. My question to Joel: does he want it back? And if he does, please show me. I know LeBron wants to get one last one. Jaylen is feeling slighted. Maxey is making a name for himself, definitely the team to watch. I don't wanna hear next year--this team was put together to win a championship now. I think if they don't win a championship, as players, I think all those players will be very, very disappointed. They have all the pieces they need.
To O'Neal's point, this team still belongs to Embiid and Maxey. While Brown and James are obviously the more decorated players, it still comes down to that duo as Philadelphia pushes forward. If Embiid is really healthy, then it changes everything for the Sixers on the floor. He is still such a dominant big man who can do nearly everything on offense and be a force on the defensive end. Philadelphia's hopes hinge on Embiid's health.

#embiid #championship #team #philadelphia

Fastbreak Hoops: Kevin Durant joining Golden State cost him a chance at having one of the most respected legacies in NBA history. The rings helped his résumé, but they absolutely hurt the way people remember his career. Kyle Kuzma: His legacy is upmost respected amongst his peers and that my friend is truly the only thing that matters. The people that really tie those sneakers up say that you're him. Not the media, not the fan. Golden state or not. Matt Champion: You trying to say fans don't matter, Kuz? You're a Lakers champ, so you'll always have my respect, but that seems surprising coming from you. I agree on KD, btw. One of the best to ever play. Kyle Kuzma: Thank you my brother… Fans matter 100%. Never said otherwise. My point was fans and players see the game differently, and both views are real.
x.com
Fastbreak Hoops: Kevin Durant joining Golden State cost him a chance at having one of the most respected legacies in NBA history. The rings helped his résumé, but they absolutely hurt the way people remember his career. Kyle Kuzma: His legacy is upmost respected amongst his peers and that my friend is truly the only thing that matters. The people that really tie those sneakers up say that you're him. Not the media, not the fan. Golden state or not. Matt Champion: You trying to say fans don't matter, Kuz? You're a Lakers champ, so you'll always have my respect, but that seems surprising coming from you. I agree on KD, btw. One of the best to ever play. Kyle Kuzma: Thank you my brother… Fans matter 100%. Never said otherwise. My point was fans and players see the game differently, and both views are real. — 8/20/2026 x.com
The changes are due, at least in part, to the stricter salary cap rules, including the first and second aprons. Criticism of this is growing louder… Isaiah Hartenstein: It's always difficult for us. These rules were introduced back then because of Kevin Durant 's move to the Golden State Warriors , to prevent teams from having too many players of that caliber. But currently, it's not working out as intended. We're a team that has built up players from scratch, who then have to be traded again because of the second apron. That's a shame. It was the same issue with my contract. It's not like the team doesn't want to pay you. But when you're in the second apron, it's no longer just a financial question; you're also severely restricted in trades. That makes it really difficult for a team, and I think ultimately it hasn't really helped the players either. — 8/16/2026 Basketball World
MAL: Klay Thompson reveals his ALL-TIME starting five C — Shaquille O'Neal PF — Tim Duncan SF — LeBron James SG — Kobe Bryant PG — Stephen Curry Klay explained why he went with Shaq, praising how he completely changed the game, while calling Tim Duncan the definition of consistency. He chose LeBron over Larry Bird and Kevin Durant, Kobe over Michael Jordan because he grew up watching Kobe and eventually played against him, and stayed loyal to Ste

A huge fireball erupted over Toledo, Ohio this morning and thick black smoke filled the sky. First responders raced to the scene where we learned two people were killed. NBC News' Shaquille Brewster reports from the scene.

#brewster #fireball #morning

Shaquille O'Neal is teaming up with General Mills to meet more major cereal fans and provide them with some unforgettable prizes
The NBA star, 54, chats with PEOPLE about some of the moments that mean a lot to his own biggest fans
O'Neal looks back at 1996 and all his accomplishments amid a life-changing year
Shaquille O'Neal is grateful that one eventful year put a new era of his career in motion.
Speaking with PEOPLE about his partnership with General Mills to find cereal's biggest fans, the retired NBA pro, 54, looks back three decades to one of the biggest years of his career, 1996.

#people

Newport County boss Hayden Mullins praised his players after a dominant opening day victory at home to Rochdale in his first league game in charge.
The Exiles ran out 3-0 winners thanks to goals from summer signings Kyle Cameron, Shaquille Gwengwe and Yahya Bamba.
County dominated proceedings against a below par Rochdale who did not manage a shot on target despite the visitors having most of the possession.
"I saw good moments against Roma and Wimbledon to give me confidence that we could put that performance in," Mullins said.
"We know that we need to make our home ground and our home form really positive this season.

#newport #hayden

Throughout the 2025-26 season, there were many rumors about whether LeBron James would stay with the Los Angeles Lakers or leave and even whether the franchise wanted him back. Of course, the Lakers were ultimately informed hours before the NBA's official start of free agency on June 30 that he was leaving, and he ended up signing with the Philadelphia 76ers in late July.
There doesn't seem to be a lot of hard feelings among Lakers fans when it comes to James' departure. One could wonder if the organization could've handled things better to get the future Hall of Famer to stick around on the same type of veteran minimum contract he signed with Philly, but perhaps he simply felt the circumstances in L.A. necessitated him moving on.
In an exclusive interview with Heavy Sports, Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal called those circumstances "the business of basketball.
"No, it's what we call the business of basketball," O'Neal told Heavy on Lakers. "When you get older, and you're still playing at a high level, you're still trying to demand high money; sometimes as a franchise you have to say, 'Do I want to pay this guy this much money for the next two years, or do I wanna go get younger?' I knew when they brought in Luka Doncic, they were looking to start over."
O'Neal has been there and done that. During the 2003-04 season, he demanded a huge contract extension, but that year, he showed definite signs of decline, and after L.A. lost in the NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons, he asked for a trade and was sent to the Miami Heat. Kobe Bryant instantly became the team's unquestioned centerpiece, and after a few rough years of rebuilding, it resumed its dynasty and won two more championships for a total of five with Bryant.

#Lakers #bryant #contract

Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.
At the dawn of his career, NBA star Shaquille O'Neal knew he wanted to be unlike any other player. Not just at shooting hoops, but also at managing money. That's why he made the early decision to hire a financial advisor.
In an interview with Graham Bensinger (1), the legendary athlete said many advisor pitches made the same mistake: overpromising.
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
JPMorgan still sees gold hitting $5,000/oz by Q4 — and savvy investors are protecting their wealth with a tax-advantaged Gold IRA. Learn more with a free guide from Priority Gold

#o 'neal

The Philadelphia 76ers have a shiny new starting lineup with the huge additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to join Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe. On paper, that's one of the best starting lineups in the game. The sheer star power the Sixers possess is going to be fascinating to watch on the floor.
With that being said, there are certainly going to be questions for this group. There is a lot that the Sixers need to figure out in order to get everybody on the same page and find that rhythm and groove in order to seriously challenge a team like the New York Knicks--the current defending champions. The Knicks have a core that has been together for quite a while and the Sixers will need to find a way to overcome the upcoming challenges.
Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Byron Scott offers up a cautionary tale when it comes to adding so many big stars to a roster. The biggest example was the 2003-04 Lakers (h/t LeBron Wire):
"We can go all the way back to the early parts in the 2000s," Scott said on his "Fast Break" podcast. "You got Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, Shaq (Shaquille O'Neal), and you still got D Fish (Derek Fisher). You still got an unbelievable starting lineup and on paper, everybody said, 'Oh, they gonna win a championship.' What happened? They played Detroit Pistons, who was a team. A much better team. A much better cohesive group of guys who wanted nothing more than to win.
"And you had friction on that Laker team with Gary Payton and some of the other guys. And then you had the peacemaker being Karl Malone and then Karl got hurt, which really killed their chances of winning the championship and Detroit went through them four games to one, right? So talent on paper don't mean a whole lot. It means you got talent, that's about all it means. It doesn't mean or guarantee that you going to win the championship."

#karl #starting #championship #knicks

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal knows a thing or two about getting fouled. During his NBA career, O'Neal faced punishment from some of the meanest big men around. Due to his spotty free-throw ability, O'Neal often found himself subject to some pretty rough and obvious fouls from defenders.
That makes O'Neal uniquely qualified — in his opinion, at least — to talk about Caitlin Clark's current situation in the WNBA. Clark has been the subject of some particularly hard fouls this season, causing all manner of people — whether qualified or not — to weigh in on how the WNBA should protect one of its biggest stars.
O'Neal doesn't see it that way, though. To O'Neal, what Clark is facing is something all the greats have endured early in their careers. During an interview with CNBC, O'Neal said all the hard fouls and rough treatment against Clark are "rites of passage" talented players have to overcome.
"All the greats have to go through what we call rites of passage. She's a fabulous player, but we're not giving you anything, ever. You have to earn it," O'Neal said. "So for her, she needs to toughen up, take those licks, and show them that, 'These licks don't bother me.'"
That's not a surprising take from O'Neal, who — through previous comments — has made it clear he values toughness and sees hard fouls as a part of the game. That's probably due to the era in which O'Neal came up in the NBA. In the early '90s, the game was more physical. Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, famously, took beatings from the Detroit Pistons in the playoffs early in his career, to the point where the Bulls had to bring in enforcers in free agency to retaliate and keep Jordan safe.

#o 'neal #early

Shaquille O'Neal has been a staunch defender of LeBron James' move from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, squashing any criticism of NBA's all-time leading scorer being a ring-chaser.
"The man is not chasing rings. The man has already gotten rings the right way," O'Neal told FTW and USA TODAY Sports. "Towards the end of your career, if you could join up and help somebody else get a ring and continue to get rings, I call it ring continuancy."
But one thing the Lakers legend won't do is sugar-coat James' time with the purple and gold. One championship was good, but it wasn't good enough to put him at the big table with past Lakers champions. "The good thing for LeBron, he did win one," Shaq said. "But you know, Kareem got six, Magic got five, Kobe got five, I got four, Rambis got three. So you know, he's at the party, but he's not on stage."
Below is our full conversation with O'Neal, including details on General Mills' No. 1 Biggest Fan contest, his thoughts on what's next for Stephen Curry and more.
This Q&A is condensed and edited for clarity.

#o 'neal #james #thing

He discussed the balance between competing now and protecting the franchise's long-term future. He made it clear he didn't want the Warriors to "suck right now, either," but also emphasized that he and the organization would navigate those decisions about the future together. "I think honestly, you figure it out in real time," Stephen Curry told The Athletic.
New York Times
Bobby Krivitsky: Ron Harper Jr. reveals his top-5 NBA players of all-time. It's a list that includes Steph Curry. He also has his dad's former teammate, Michael Jordan, ahead of LeBron James. — 8/4/2026 x.com
NBA Trade Machine: Stephen Curry appeared in 5.8% of trades built on HoopsMatic over the past 24 hours. Of his trades, his most common destinations were Boston (27.1%), San Antonio (16.7%), and Philadelphia (14.6%). The players traded for him most often were Paul George (19.8%), De'Aaron Fox (15.6%), and Cade Cunningham (7.3%). — 8/4/2026 HoopsMatic
Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker has weighed in on one of basketball's most popular debates, revealing his all-time NBA starting lineup. In a video posted to TikTok by chickenwrapcharge, Booker selected Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Shaquille O'Neal as his all-time starting five. — 8/4/2026 Clutch Points

#curry #time #future

Shaquille O'Neal has an honest conversation with his son, Shareef O'Neal.
Shaquille O'Neal is widely viewed as one of the most dominant basketball players to ever grace the hardwood in the NBA.
During his phenomenal career, Shaq won four NBA Championships and a plethora of individual accolades. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Shaq's son, Shareef O'Neal.
Despite a three-year NCAA stint, Shareef is yet to make his NBA debut because of life-threatening heart surgery and a series of injuries. But Shaq's son seems keen on the NBA.
Photo by Tiffany Rose/Getty Images for Harold and Carole Pump Foundation

#shareef #ncaa

PHOENIX – Every generation believes it watched basketball at its highest level. Devin Booker's all-time starting five proves that even NBA superstars are no exception. When Booker selected Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Shaquille O'Neal as his greatest starting five ever, the conversation after a while shifted from who made the list to who didn't. Fans quickly noticed he left off some pretty big names: Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird.
Jan 11, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
For many fans, those omissions are impossible to justify. But Booker's list isn't necessarily about disrespecting history. It's about perspective. Booker grew up watching Kobe redefine scoring artistry, LeBron dominate every phase of the game, Curry revolutionize shooting, and Durant become one of basketball's most unstoppable offensive weapons. Those players shaped the game Booker plays today. They weren't legends from documentaries; they were the standard he chased while playing alongside them in the NBA and Team USA.
Aug 6, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard Devin Booker (15) and shooting guard Stephen Curry (4) and **** istant coach Tyronn Lue look on in the second half against Brazil in a men's basketball quarterfinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Jordan's six championships, Kareem's six MVP awards, and decades of historical dominance remain impossible to ignore. Resume still matters when discussing all-time greatness. But Booker wasn't building the most decorated roster. He was revealing the players he believes represent basketball at its absolute peak. That's why his list sparked such passionate debate.

#list #phoenix

Max Kellerman had immense praise for LeBron James, comparing him to one of the NBA's greatest scorers ever, the Mail Man, Karl Malone.
Malone went to the NBA Finals three times in his NBA career, twice with the Utah Jazz against Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls, and once in his final year alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal on the Los Angeles Lakers.
While Malone never won a championship in his career, he was a two-time MVP in his career, and ended his tenure in the NBA as the second-leading scorer of all time.
Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images
Speaking on his podcast with Rich Paul, NBA ***** yst Max Kellerman claimed that LeBron James' 2026 playoff run was on another level.

#Career #james #time #finals

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker has weighed in on one of basketball's most popular debates, revealing his all-time NBA starting lineup. In a video posted to TikTok by chickenwrapcharge, Booker selected Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Shaquille O'Neal as his all-time starting five.
Clutch Points
Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker has made headlines ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season after details of his new relationship with supermodel Irina Shayk emerged. The news comes as Booker prepares for another season as the face of the Suns following his two-year, $145 million contract extension and amid growing discussion about Phoenix's reshaped roster featuring Jalen Green. According to PEOPLE, Booker and Shayk have been spending time together this summer after being introduced by mutual friends. The relationship arrives during a busy offseason for Booker, who is expected to lead the Suns into training camp while adjusting to Phoenix's evolving offensive identity. A source told PEOPLE, "It's very new, but they like each other a lot." — 7/31/2026 Yahoo!
Duane Rankin: "I think Book deserves a ring." Miles Bridges as he talked about "going to war" with Devin Booker and looking to help him accomplish that." #Suns — 7/22/2026 x.com
Shams Charania: Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker is changing his jersey from No. 1 to No. 15, honoring his USA Basketball uniform and the college number of his father, Melvin, per ESPN sources. — 6/17/2026 x.com

#people #starting #season

Shaquille O'Neal has told the New York Knicks how to "impress" him following his controversial comments.
He recently explained on The Big Podcast that the Knicks had "a lot of luck" en route to winning the NBA championship.
Knicks fans have since criticised O'Neal for disrespecting their ***** le-winning team, but he has just doubled down.
Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images
Shaquille O'Neal was asked to clarify his comments on the New York Knicks' 2026 championship run.

#championship

LeBron James choosing to join the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency is a shock to nearly everybody. Many believed he would end his brilliant career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, or Golden State Warriors. After all, he has history with the Cavs and Heat, and he's close with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green with the Warriors.
James won a ******* le with the Cavaliers in 2016, the third of his four ******* les, as he led Cleveland on a historic rally from being down 3-1 to Curry, Klay Thompson, Green, and the Warriors. The future Hall of Famer will now look to win a fifth ******* le with Philadelphia and lead the franchise to its first since 1983.
Iman Shumpert was a member of that Cavs team and gave his thoughts on James choosing the Sixers on "The Big Podcast" with Shaquille O'Neal:
Every time he leaves somewhere, the story starts. I feel like Bron likes the challenge, but he's still a kid, like, at heart. Like, there's a story there. He goes to Philly. They haven't won in, what, 40 years? 30 years? 43 years. They haven't touched a ring. He gave somebody that hadn't seen it in 50 and he went to the Lakers and recrowned them...so, the challenge lies in Philly, now.
James is certainly one to always leave a legacy wherever he is. He has a huge legacy in the league due to what he did with the Cavaliers, Heat, and Lakers. Now, to Shumpert's point, the challenge is to win a ******* le in Philadelphia and give the Sixers the ring that organization so desperately is looking for.

#cavaliers #challenge

Joe Johnson: I didn't think ****** ody could beat that Lakers Kobe and Shaq. But, bro, when I tell y'all push him to the brink. Obviously, under certain circumstances, maybe y'all would have won it. But, man, that was a pleasure to watch. You know what I mean? Because I was a young buck. I was just coming into the league in 2001, bro. That was everything to me to see, to see great basketball. Mike Bibby: I think Shaquille O'Neal is the best big man that ever played the game. Kobe Bryant is top two for me. Just to be in those battles and going to LA and seeing all those movie stars and the guys that you look up to in the movies coming and cheering against you knowing we had them beat. I mean, I couldn't ask for nothing else, man.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Mike Bibby: Shaquille O'Neal is the best big man that ever played the game

#coming

From the moment LeBron James came to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, some fans of the team disliked him and even felt he was encroaching on the territory of Kobe Bryant, who had retired just two years earlier. James would lead the Lakers to the NBA championship in 2020 just after they had missed the playoffs in six straight seasons, but despite sticking around for eight years, he was never exactly beloved the way other franchise greats were.
Shaquille O'Neal has been there and done that. Lakers fans fell in love with him when he arrived in 1996, but once Bryant emerged as a superstar a few years later, fans fell harder for him and favored him over O'Neal. O'Neal, of course, requested to be traded in 2004 and was sent to the Miami Heat amidst a feud between him and the legendary guard, and he spent quite a bit of time talking trash about Bryant following his exit.
During an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio, O'Neal explained how, as a result, he can understand why Lakers fans never fully embraced James.
"They didn't love me; they loved Kobe. They didn't love me. Listen, this is what we call B.O.B brother, the business of basketball. When they get like me, when I'm in charge, I'm a difficult man to deal with. The thing has to be done my way, and sometimes people don't agree with that, so when you get you up out of there... I can kinda understand both sides."
O'Neal eventually reconciled with Bryant and the Lakers, and he got his No. 34 jersey retired in 2013. James' exit this summer was painless and relatively quiet, and he likely did the franchise a favor by letting it know through Rich Paul, his longtime agent, that he was leaving just hours before free agency officially opened on June 30.

#o 'neal #love #retired

Shaquille O'Neal admits he understands why some Lakers fans dislike him and LeBron James originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Over the years, the Los Angeles Lakers have had plenty of superstars come through their doors and stand out. Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James are among those players, and they helped them become champions. Shaq won three championships and Finals MVPs during his time, while LeBron led them to a ****** le with a Finals MVP as well.
Unfortunately, it seems they are not the biggest fan favorites despite their success with the Lakers. Shaq is not seen as one of the top Lakers legends, which is likely connected to his feud with Kobe Bryant. Now, it seems there is a mixed reaction to LeBron even after he just left the team.
Shaq has probably heard from all kinds of Lakers fans over the years, especially the past two decades. He left the team in some bad circumstances because it came from the peak of his feud with Bryant. O'Neal and Bryant got to reconcile at some point, but it left a bad taste in some Lakers fans' mouths.
When it comes to James, the Lakers fans did embrace him, especially when he led the team to a championship in only his second season with the team. Unfortunately, they could not win the championship again during his stint, which led to a vocal minority resenting him.

#lebron #bryant #team #left

Iman Shumpert disagrees with Shaquille O'Neal about the 76ers' ******* le favorite status originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With the additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers' roster, they are now being called one of the favorites to win the 2027 championship. It is fair to have those expectations because adding two Finals MVPs to the roster is a massive boost for the team's chances.
The players who were already in Philly beforehand are happy with the additions. In fact, they actively recruited James to the team, which is a good sign for the team's culture because it seems everyone wants to learn from the four-time Finals MVP, including sophomore guard VJ Edgecombe.
It is easy for people to get ahead of themselves when it comes to discussing championship favorites. That has been normal basketball discourse over the years, but crowning the 76ers is too early, especially with all kinds of elite teams throughout the league.
Shaquille O'Neal believes that this is a championship-or-bust season for the 76ers. Those are some extremely high expectations, but it seems he believes the 76ers can finally end their ******* le drought, especially with LeBron as the biggest name on the team.

#sporting

Shaquille O'Neal opened up about the harsh reality of playing under the spotlight in Los Angeles, offering his perspective on why LeBron James never fully won over Los Angeles Lakers fans during his eight-year stint with the franchise.
Speaking on SiriusXM's NBA Today with Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson, the centerpiece of the Lakers' last championship three-peat reflected on the complex relationship between the 41-year-old superstar and the Purple and Gold faithful. O'Neal took a notably self-deprecating approach, acknowledging that he could relate to James' experience.
"They didn't love me, they loved Kobe," O'Neal said. "They didn't love me. This is what we call B-O-B, brother to business of basketball. You know, when you're like me, when I'm in charge I'm a difficult man to deal with. The thing has to be done my way, and sometimes people don't agree with that. And you know, so when they get you up out of there, so I can kinda understand both sides."
O'Neal said he understood why the connection often felt complicated. He candidly admitted that even his own legendary tenure in Los Angeles was not without friction, stressing the unique pressure and scrutiny that come with wearing the Lakers uniform.
His perspective highlights the delicate line superstar transplants walk in Los Angeles. While James brought a championship to the franchise in 2020 and broke the NBA's all-time scoring record in a Lakers uniform, many fans viewed him as an established outside icon rather than a homegrown Laker.

#o 'neal #perspective #year

The Los Angeles Lakers had one of the NBA's busiest offseasons, losing 22-time All-Star forward LeBron James at the outset of free agency before replacing him with a hodgepodge of players they felt could complement superstar guard Luka Dončić.
While LA has exhausted most of its resources to appease Dončić, including making an all-in push for a high-level starting center, franchise icon Shaquille O'Neal doesn't see a viable path to the 2027 NBA championship.
Despite its strong 53-win finish to the 2025-26 season, LA's ******* le contention hopes were thwarted by Dončić's absence (hamstring) throughout the 2026 playoffs. The shorthanded squad was forced to put an excessive workload on 41-year-old James en route to a second-round sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Lakers' inability to match up defensively against OKC and lack of complementary scoring options contributed to James seeking greener pastures in free agency. The four-time MVP announced his exit in late June, eventually opting to join the star-studded Philadelphia 76ers out East.
Looking to pick up the pieces, LA had significant money to work with this summer, with James' expiring $52.6 million contract coming off the books. Rob Pelinka and Co.'s biggest move came when they parted with unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030 to land restricted free agent big man Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz on a four-year, $130 million contract.

#star

Shaquille O'Neal surprised a woman at his gym when he joined in on her workout video
The woman, who said she didn't want to go to the gym that day, added, "You never know who you're gonna ****** p into at the gym"
O'Neal jokingly told her his name is LeBron James, she said
Shaquille O'Neal made one woman's trip to the gym more than worth it.
A woman named Nysh shared a video on Instagram and TikTok showing the former NBA star, 54, jumping into the background of her workout video at a gym.

#o 'neal #woman #shaquille

Shaquille O'Neal on LeBron James: He's loving the fact that he's the number one scorer in the league. But guess what? I'mma put this sh*t so far out of reach ***** ody will ever do it. I ain't going to lie when I was playing looking at Kareem's number. I was like, man, 36 thousand, 38. I'll never get to that. I looked at it the other day. LeBron's at 45. He still averaging 20. He going to mess around be at 50,000 points. Guess what? Me and you both will probably be dead before somebody passed it up.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: He's loving the fact that he's the number one scorer …

#fact