Shaquille O’Neal was never a one-track mind kind of guy. Whether he was “rapping“, or “acting,” or self-promoting, the Big Fella was a busy man during his 19 NBA seasons, when he also won four championships and three Finals MVPs.
So it’s not surprising that Shaq is keeping busy in his retirement. He worked with Jackie McMullan on his book, Shaq Uncut: My Story, and he also has his own comedy tour.
Shaquille O’Neal Presents All Star Comedy Jam is making its way through the country, and Shaq told the Chicago Tribune which players he’d ideally have on stage as part of a roast.
“I probably would want to do something different — like a roast panel,” said O’Neal, who added that he had to turn down an appearance as a roaster of David Hasselhoff because his jokes were too vulgar. “I would put Kobe [Bryant], LeBron [James], [Charles] Barkley and [Dennis] Rodman up there and have a round table of 15 comedians go at it. If I press a few buttons, I could make it happen.”
As it turns out, he may not even have to. Excerpts from his book have surfaced around the web, and Shaq clearly did some roasting of his own.
Shaq detailed his highly publicized feud with Bryant, explaining how Bryant never participated in team events but wanted his teammates to have his back after his rape allegations in Colorado.
O’Neal also explained what we all knew — that LeBron was handled with kid gloves in Cleveland by coach Mike Brown.
“Nobody wanted [James] to leave Cleveland, so he was allowed to do whatever he wanted to do,” O’Neal said, according to HoopsWorld.
“I always believed he could turn it on at any moment, but for some reason he didn’t,” O’Neal added of James. “Not against the Celtics in 2010 and not against the Mavericks in 2011. It was weird. It’s one thing to be a passer, but you are supposed to be the One.”
Shaq also said of all the young stars he played with, LeBron was the worst at handling tough love from a veteran.
“I always tell people in terms of being tough on the young stars,” he said, “I was a 10 with Kobe and a 4 with [Dwyane Wade]Â and a 1 with LeBron.”
Photo of the day
Think LeBron and Shaq will ever be dancing partners again? Seems unlikely.
Quote of the day
“We’re looking to make the biggest fight possible and everyone knows what that fight is, the little fella.”
–Floyd Mayweather Jr. adviser Leonard Ellerbe, to ESPN.com, referring to Manny Pacquiao
Tweet of the day
It’s probably not ever the right time to buy the manager of a jersey, especially one who always wears a pullover.
Video of the day
Yahoo! Sports’ Shutdown Corner posted this video of Spanish broadcaster Gabriel Trujillo going N-U-T-S nuts after a Larry Fitzgerald. Tell me you wouldn’t prefer this over the standard Jim Nantz–Phil Simms telecasts.
