Shaquille O’Neal blames ‘boring’ big men in NBA for awful ratings
Shaquille O'Neal attributes the NBA's poor television ratings to the unenthusiastic play and lack of a dominant center.
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Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O’Neal, the four-time NBA champion and analyst, recently shared his thoughts on the evolving nature of the NBA. During an episode of “The Big Podcast,” Shaq was asked about the trend of smaller centers in the league. In response, he expressed his opinion that dominant centers like himself are a rarity in today’s game.
According to Shaq, only a few exceptional players, such as Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama, stand out from the rest. He drew a parallel between the changes in the NBA and those in the boxing world. He noted that the heavyweight category has also undergone significant transformations over the years.
There’s no more dominant big man. It’s like stretch-fives. In my sport, everybody just does the same thing which makes it very boring.
Shaquille O’Neal via his podcast
Shaquille O’Neal is widely regarded as one of the most dominant centers in NBA history. During his illustrious career, Shaq averaged an impressive 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, while shooting an remarkable 58.2% from the field.
Shaquille O’Neal’s impressive statistics were matched by his numerous accolades. He was a 15-time NBA All-Star and won the NBA Finals MVP award three times. However, O’Neal believes centers like him don’t exist anymore in the NBA. It has somewhat watered down the product as a result.
Shaquille O’Neal feels Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors are responsible for decline in NBA viewership
Stephen Curry’s unparalleled 3-point shooting ability has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the game of basketball. However, not everyone remains convinced that this shift in playing style benefits the sport. NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has expressed his concerns about the homogenization of basketball. He cited the widespread adoption of 3-point shooting as a primary factor.
According to Shaq, the NBA’s recent decline in viewership during the 2024-25 season comes up due to the lack of diversity in playing styles. With teams relying heavily on 3-point shooting, Shaq believes that the game has become less engaging and less appealing to fans.
I think everybody is looking at the same thing.
Shaquille O’Neal via his podcast
O’Neal singled out Stephen Curry as a key factor in the shift towards 3-point-centric basketball. According to Shaq, Curry and the Golden State Warriors popularized a style of play that has been adopted by many teams. Shaq expressed his frustration, stating that not every team has the personnel to excel at 3-point shooting, yet they all seem to be employing the same strategy.
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Anubhav Bajpeyee
(173 Articles Published)