Adam Silver mocks Shaquille O'Neal over his league criticism: There was so much diversity in Shaq's game

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver playfully zinged Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal for saying the “boring” quality of play in the league is weighing on TV ratings. “There was so much diversity in Shaq’s game, I can’t believe he said that,” Silver cracked during an appearance Wednesday at the Paley Center for Media‘s International Council Summit.

Source: Deadline

More on this storyline

After his jibe about the bruising, low-post style of O’Neal, who stands 7-foot-1 and weighed about 330 pounds in his playing days, Silver turned more reflective. “I respect his opinion,” he said. “I think that we pay a lot of attention to what we see in our game. … Sometimes there’s more appreciation for a 12-foot jumpshot than a 30-foot jumpshot. When Shaq played, it was the exact opposite,” with critics complaining, “‘There’s not enough variation in your game – it’s all about dunking.'” -via Deadline / November 14, 2024

“In New York, it’s a tough team to play,” said O’Neal. “But this was the fear I had for Joel Embiid. You announce arrogantly, I’m not playing back-to-backs, Ernie. I’m not injured but I’m sore. I’ll come back when I want to come back. “Now, when you say things like that, you’re supposed to come back with extra energy. 0-3, I would have been 0-15. But you know what y’all would have said. ‘Hey, Shaq’s not playing well, but he’s playing aggressive.’ The plan that they are having, it’s not working. And not only that, I say this respectfully. Joel Embiid will never win a championship until he gets his mind and his attitude right.” -via Awful Announcing / November 13, 2024

"I'm so grateful for everything I experienced at Golden State," Thompson said. "But I mean, I've seen some of my favorite athletes pivot and have tremendous success. When I think of Shaq[uille O'Neal] leaving the Lakers and winning a ring or Tom Brady winning one with Tampa Bay, it's been done before. "That was my main goal at this point in my career. I just want to win, and this team is so close. I just wanted to be a part of that when July 1 hit [free agency]. It's human nature to think about your future. As present as you're supposed to be, we're all human. We all think about that. Now, to know I'm locked in for a few years here, it allows me to be free." -via ESPN / November 12, 2024

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Adam Silver mocks Shaquille O'Neal over his league criticism: There was so much diversity in Shaq's game