SUMMARY
- Shaquille O'Neal blames parents and going viral for the lack of focus among young players.
- Shaq also holds NIL deals accountable.
Shaquille O’Neal recently made some very interesting statements regarding the current state of basketball and how the sport is being treated by the younger generation. Almost every single NBA fan will know a great deal about O’Neal and his accomplishments. Shaq is a 4x NBA champion and widely regarded as the most dominant force in the history of the game.
After stepping away from the game, O’Neal has engaged in several extracurricular activities and even conducts his own podcast named “The Big Podcast with Shaq.” In the most recent episode, O’Neal discussed the younger and upcoming generation of basketball players and discussed the flaws in their approach to the game. With that being said, a closer look at what O’Neal had to say on this subject is certainly required given his qualifications.
Shaquille O’Neal calls out basketball rankings and parents for ruining their children
Before getting into what O’Neal said about this issue, it is important for fans to keep in mind that Shaq is from a completely different era of basketball. His upbringing and approach to the game were worlds apart compared to the modern-day college basketball players and future NBA stars.
“And the problem is they see this through their children…Exactly and it happens when the child goes viral that’s the first. Second, these rankings. Like I had a guy tell me my son was the number one 5th grader and I’m like bro okay and? And I’m like no you should fu*king let him be a kid in 6th grade, 7th grade, see how it pans out. What you should do is always encourage them. So again, these parents these rankings these going virals…”
O’Neal did not stop there. He went on to point out that college basketball coaches and these NIL deals also play a significant role in stunting the growth of young basketball players.
How do NIL deals affect future basketball stars?
To those who do not know, NIL deals are between student-athletes and popular sports brands such as Nike or Adidas. In order to promote their brand and recruit athletes from the very beginning, these companies offer contracts to high school or college athletes even before the official start of their professional careers.