Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal had tough words for Los Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons in a rant against the NBA’s current product.
O’Neal sounded off on the game in the latest episode of the podcast.
“People get mad. It’s just a product of what I’ve seen,” the Los Angeles Lakers legend said. “I’ve seen what greatness is, been there, played with them. I don’t see that all the time over there. So, you want me to give these mother—-rs the same props you giving them? That s— will never happen. You can call it hate if you want.
“Even with the word ‘hate,’ like these f—–g kids, they like to throw that word around. If you ain’t f—–g great and I’m great, how the f— can I hate on you? That don’t make no f—–g sense. I’m in the f—–g building, and you not in the building, so how the f— can I hate on you?”
O’Neal said he wants to see greatness on the court and lamented that “a lot of these mother—ers can’t play.”
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He pointed to Simmons, a three-time All-Star whose career has been marred by injuries. He went from averaging 14.3 points per game with the Philadelphia 76ers to averaging fewer than seven points per game with the Brooklyn Nets and now with the Clippers. All of that while he averaged around $35.4 million per year in salary and has earned more than $200 million in his career.
“Ben f—ing Simmons, that mother—er needs to be arrested. Jayson Tatum can play. He’s alright. I’m not going to bash him. But Ben Simmons needs to be f—–g arrested. ($250 million) for that bull—- Get the f— out of my face. Robbing people, man. You can’t do that.”
The NBA’s current product has found a lot of criticism over the last few years. With more teams taking 3-pointers and stars not playing the entirety of the 82-game schedule, fans responded by turning the game off.
Ratings were a hot topic of conversation earlier in the season.
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla even said he’d “rather watch something else.”
The NBA playoffs are poised to change that with superstar talent in the running for a title, including the Lakers and LeBron James.
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