OT Shaquille O'Neal: I Only Played 30 Percent Of My Real Game

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/243263/Shaquille-ONeal-I-Only-Played-30-Percent-Of-My-Real-Game


Shaquille O'Neal will enter the Hall of Fame this week as one of the most dominant big men in basketball history.

“I only played 30 percent of my real game,” O’Neal told The Vertical. “I had a great career, but I didn’t get a chance to showcase what I can really do. That’s because the double- and triple-teams were coming so quick, I had to dominate, dominate, dominate inside. I had the ability to step out, go around defenders, dribble by people, but I never got to show that.

“I had to focus on being the most powerful, dominant player to ever play the game.”

O'Neal very quickly became a physical force coming out of LSU to the Orlando Magic.

"When I first entered the league, I figured out my niche early. Not only did I want to be the best big man, I wanted to be the most dominant. A lot of people can claim the title of the best, but only a few can say they were the most dominant. That was my goal. I wanted to be in the conversation championship-wise and stats-wise, changing the game like Mike [Jordan] and Wilt [Chamberlain] did. I really wished I could have continued out my last year in Boston."

 

<facepalm>

 

I thought this was about his free throw shooting for a second.

 

First the body, then the mind.

 

All from a guy who milked the first half of every season with lingering sore toe problems...he'd start getting in shape after the allstar game and really was only interested in the playoffs..with the calls Shaq got, he was a made man in basketball, still is

 

I always said he was playing at 30% too, but not for the same reasons. It was because he was so greatly overweight. He couldn't move. It took him twice as long to extend his fat arms, take a step, or twist his waist 90°. On every play Shaq didn't create; he just reacted because of his hundred-pound backpack.

If you want to see a dominant center, look at young Jabbar on the Bucks. The young Walton owned the paint on defense, while on offense Walton was the wheel's hub on every non-fast break, with his passes the spokes.

 

Thats why he missed 70% of free throws?

 

Fuck. Shaq.

The most protected center in history.

Fuck him.

 

30%......whatever....
The refs let him do anything he wanted 100% of the time.
Fuck Shaq with Raymond Felton's donut-grabbing fist.

 

A good donut doesn't need any topping at all

 

Okay now obviously Shaq is one of the greatest centers of all time but man it's shit like this that bothers me, this dude is so full of himself. 30 percent? lol k. I am sure shaq also had a 3 point shot we never knew of, some handles mixed with the most insane post moves we have ever seen right? lol

 

This means that Shaq didn't play his best against Arvydas Sabonis? He only put in 30% during that 2000 series?

 

Yes 30 percent so if he was playing at 100 percent he would of averaged like 60 points and 60 boards a game obviously duh

 

If you were bigger than everyone and could just butt bump people out of the way every time without getting called for a foul you would all do it too.

The excuse was that he was so big............which made it more obvious to everyone that he was clearing space illegally. Except the refs that is.

 

Unfortunately Sabonis was really only 30 percent of his former self.

 

Shaq was huge.

I never noticed any semblance of talent or skill to speak of, just a huge blob of goo allowed to ooze all over the court in the face of all rules to the contrary.

 

Shaq won championship due fot the reason Kobe Byrant and Wade. Wade championship series he did nothing it was all Wade. Shaq being out of shape cost him with serious injuries at the end of his career.