The NBA is the most popular basketball league in the world right now. The league is home to the finest players across the globe, showcasing their talent to fans. There might be hundreds of players currently in the NBA, but there are a few players who are simply a notch above the rest.
The top 3 or 5 players in the league are usually regarded as superstars. Or that should be the case. But nowadays, the media has been pretty loose with the word ‘superstar.’
They will label a player superstar right after having one or two great seasons. But to be honest, it takes a lot more than just one or two seasons to be regarded as a superstar in the NBA.
Shaquille O’Neal Has Tough Criteria To Consider Players As Superstars
Ever since retiring from the league, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has been fulfilling the role of an analyst for quite some time now. Shaq is known for his blunt and, more often than not, accurate takes.
Keeping that in mind, in the recent episode of “The Big Podcast,” O’Neal decided to share his thoughts on why he doesn’t consider many players superstars.
(Starts at 29:20)
“I don’t seen Mike, I don’t seen Kobe, I don’t seen D-Wade, I don’t seen Penny Hardaway, I don’t seen LeBron, I don’t seen Kevin Johnson, I don’t seen Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Tim Duncan. If you ain’t doin what they did or bout they did, don’t be looking for me to call you no superstar. I don’t seen it at all. I don’t play with made men. Embiid, made men. These little abject failures that you all talking about now? Get them out of my face … I don’t think so!”
During his playing days, Shaq faced some pretty great players. So when a legend like him sees many players being regarded as superstars despite not being very consistent, it obviously makes him mad, and he made it abundantly clear on the podcast.
Apart from that, Shaq also ripped apart Kevin Durant’s career outside of the Golden State Warriors. He believes that KD’s career, apart from his stint with the Warriors, has simply been a failure. It’s great to see a former player being unbiased with his takes and giving the audience truly great content.
