The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired Patrick Beverley this offseason, a signing that has sparked a lot of conversation. Primarily, it seemed to be an issue with Russell Westbrook, who has beefed with Beverley quite a bit, but the two players seem to have sorted that. However, there has also been criticism thanks to the Lakers treating Beverley, who is a role player, like they have added a star to the team.
A lot of that has to do with Beverley’s personality; he plays and talks with the utmost confidence in himself. This was on display recently when he took a dig at his new teammates LeBron James and Anthony Davis about not making the playoffs last season. But that mentality is also what makes him such an asset. He’s a vocal locker room presence, and he gives it all to ensure that his team wins.
And whatever any fans or analysts may feel about Pat Bev, his obvious impact on the court and in the locker room cannot be denied. So much so that he is now earning comparisons to some legendary guards in NBA history.
Shaquille O’Neal Said The Lakers Will Love Patrick Beverley, Likened Him To Gary Payton
Throughout his career with the Lakers, Shaq played with some excellent players. One of those was an aging Gary Payton, and even though GP wasn’t in his prime, he brought an excellent mentality to the team. Shaq and GP won a title together in 2006 as members of the Heat, and Shaq has now compared Payton and Pat Beverley.
“You want a guy like that on the team. A guy like that, you don’t tamper with. I played with a guy like that in GP [Gary Payton]. GP used to come and talk crazy. We gonna say something back? Nope. … You know what that helps you do? Win you your fourth championship.
“Dennis Rodman comes in. Not a lot of practice in the day, shows up late for the pre-game meeting, eating chicken and rice and then gives you 27 rebounds. Sometimes, when you have a guy like that, you leave him alone. … Lakers need a guy like that. LA gonna love Pat Beverley, watch.”
This isn’t exactly a total compliment from O’Neal, but it’s evident that he thinks of Beverley as the sort of guy that can inject some passion into the team. Too often last season, the Lakers looked devoid of spark plugs, and there’s arguably no other players in the league as good at providing a spark as Patrick Beverley.
