logo
Shaq believes Jordan and Curry had the least amount of help winning championships: "Mike and Steph are the same people"

Shaq believes Jordan and Curry had the least amount of help winning championships: "Mike and Steph are the same people"

Yahoo5 days ago
Shaq believes Jordan and Curry had the least amount of help winning championships: "Mike and Steph are the same people" originally appeared on Basketball Network.
It's always going to be one of those conversations that sparks debate the moment it leaves someone's mouth. Who had the toughest road to a title? Who carried the biggest load when the games mattered most? And in a week where offseason trade buzz, podcast monologues and off-court whispers have already pushed things into overdrive, Shaquille O'Neal threw in his own perspective to keep the show running.
While on the "Off the Record" podcast, Shaq broke down which all-time greats had to carry the heaviest weight during their championship runs and it's safe to say his answer might come as a surprise to many.
"Who had the least amount of help? I would be a tie, Kobe had a lot of help and let me go on a record, I had a lot of help. So, release that," Shaquille began his detailed explanation on this topic.
That honesty was classic Shaq, self-aware but blunt. He acknowledged that he and Kobe Bryant balanced each other out, even admitted they made things easier for one another. But then came the real punch.
"Mike and Steph are the same people. Both bad boys, but they got another bad dude next to you. Klay was whew! It's a tie between those two. Mike had to carry a lot, but Pippen was a bad boy. Steph had to carry a lot but Draymond (Green) and Klay, them some bad boys, so it's tie. Kobe didn't have to do much, because I was there, and I didn't have to do much, because he was there… We equaled each other out," the legendary big man added.
Did Shaq miss someone?
On the surface, it sounds like high praise. Putting Stephen Curry and Michael Jordan in the same breath isn't something O'Neal does lightly. The way he framed it, Steph and Mike had another "bad dude" next to them, but still shouldered most of the responsibility, is a nod to how dominant both were in their respective runs.
Still, it's hard to overlook a few things. One, there was no mention of LeBron James, a player who's dragged some of the most underwhelming supporting casts to the NBA Finals — not once, not twice, but year after year. Sure, someone might say yeah, but he had all that help with the Miami Heat, but they only managed to win two... And that's perfectly fine as well.
And two, if we're going to talk about Steph, how does Kevin Durant not enter that equation? For two of those four titles, KD was not just along for the ride. He was arguably the guy in the biggest moments, and his two Finals MVPs while on the same team as Chef only go to show it.
Yet somehow, Shaq kept it strictly to the original core, leaving out a chunk of important context when we're comparing who really had the least help.Chef and MJ had to do the most
Shaq's framing probably says more about how he values hierarchy than it does actual roster makeup. In his eyes, when two guys like him and Kobe shared the spotlight, it canceled things out. But when you're the No. 1 guy and the rest of the help is solid but not overwhelming, it speaks to how much you had to carry.
And in that sense, yes, both Steph and MJ had that rare mix of stardom and burden. Neither had too much of a safety net of a second MVP or a modern-day superteam (at least by Shaq's definition). The offense flowed through them and the two, as O'Neal called them, bad boys, carried the load for the most part.
But ignoring Durant in Golden State or leaving out LeBron entirely? That's where the debate really begins. Because, as much as Shaq loves the barbershop talk, it's hard to have a whole conversation about carrying a team without including the guy who's done it with everything from Donyell Marshall to Daniel Gibson (no offense to anyone) to Anthony Davis and Dwyane Wade.
Who knows, maybe this will be the new GOAT debate, not who was the best, but who carried the most when it mattered and every now and again someone will come out with the fresh perspective on the matter.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pacers All-Star Pascal Siakam is selected as pace car driver for Sunday's Brickyard 400
Pacers All-Star Pascal Siakam is selected as pace car driver for Sunday's Brickyard 400

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Pacers All-Star Pascal Siakam is selected as pace car driver for Sunday's Brickyard 400

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace, right, fouls Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Brickyard 400 fans will get their own glimpse into a Pacers and racers weekend Sunday. Brickyard 400 organizers said Tuesday that Indiana Pacers All-Star Pascal Siakam has been selected as the pace-car driver for this weekend's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Advertisement The announcement comes almost exactly two months after the Pacers played the New York Knicks in an Eastern Conference final game on the same day as the Indianapolis 500. The events took place just a short drive apart. It was just the fourth time a Pacers and racers doubleheader had taken place in Indy. Now, though, Siakam will get a chance to experience the other part, this time leading the Cup cars to the green flag in a 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS. The race will take place on the historic 2.5-mile oval for the second straight year after it had been run on the track's road course. 'Basketball and motorsports — Pacers and racers — go hand in hand in Indianapolis,' IndyCar and speedway President Doug Boles said in a statement. 'Following the Pacers' electrifying postseason run, it's only fitting to have Pascal join us to pace the field as NASCAR's biggest stars compete to win the In-Season Challenge and add their name to the history books with a win at the Brickyard.' Advertisement Siakam didn't start playing basketball until he was 17 years old. He grew up in Cameroon and the three-time All-Star also is a two-time All-NBA selection and won an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. ___ AP auto racing:

2025 Summer League thoughts: What Ajay Mitchell, others did to stand out
2025 Summer League thoughts: What Ajay Mitchell, others did to stand out

USA Today

time8 hours ago

  • USA Today

2025 Summer League thoughts: What Ajay Mitchell, others did to stand out

Usually, the NBA champion has little to look forward to in the Summer League. With low draft picks, they spent the two-week extravaganza rewatching playoff highlights on their way to the Larry O'Brien trophy. But the Oklahoma City Thunder remain an exception to the rule. The Thunder had a productive Summer League. They played eight games in Utah and Las Vegas. Nikola Topic's debut after sitting out last season recovering from a torn ACL was worth the watch. The Thunder lost to the Charlotte Hornets in the playoff semifinal. Reflecting on the 2025 Summer League one last time, let's give one quick thought for the 16 players that suited up. Thunder Wire will divide the entries into three separate articles: Ajay Mitchell A couple of weeks removed from playing in the NBA Finals, Mitchell entered the Summer League as a player who knew he was too good to be there. The 23-year-old was the Thunder's undisputed top scorer. He averaged over 20 points and constantly drove to the rim. You have to be encouraged by the free-throw numbers. Mitchell received plenty of calls at the Summer League. That's always the next step of a scorer. If he can carry that over to the regular season, he has a real chance to pen himself into the rotation and stick out from other bench players. Branden Carlson After missing time from an ankle sprain, Carlson suited up for the Thunder's final three Summer League games. It didn't take long for the two-way player to dominate the competition. He averaged 15 points and six rebounds. The seven-footer used his size to finish inside and knocked down his catch-and-shoot looks. Carlson is the perfect player to have on your two-way deal. The 26-year-old can stretch the floor in a minimized NBA role. In the G League, he can put up numbers and destroy the competition. Easy to see why they brought him back on a two-way deal. Chris Youngblood Speaking of two-way deals, Youngblood made a strong case for the Thunder to give him the final spot. The 23-year-old was the best of the undrafted rookie bunch. As the event progressed, he gained more minutes and even received starts. The outside shot is his bread and butter. Youngblood shot 52% from 3 on five attempts at Vegas. The numbers are eye-popping, but the type of outside attempts he took was also impressive. He took catch-and-shoot looks but also created off the dribble. He was an active movement shooter. His quick release gave him plenty of spice on his attempts. Zack Austin While he was in the rotation, Austin didn't have an impact. He was given a start but didn't do much with it. The stats weren't pretty, but it's tough to take much away from them with such a small sample. Maybe he showed enough in the predraft process to stick around. Austin went undrafted out of Pittsburgh. He could try to get a G League spot elsewhere, but tough to see the Blue sign him from the little he showed in the Summer League. Let's see what the rest of the offseason looks like for him. Maddy Sissoko Given the first few starts because Carlson was out, Sissoko struggled to take advantage of the opportunity. Instead, foul trouble was what he was most known for. Which isn't great considering the Summer League allows players to commit 10 fouls. Sissoko is an undersized center. He's also not athletic enough to overcome that. That puts him in an awkward tweener spot. It was a subpar Summer League for the undrafted rookie. He saw his playing time dwindle by the end of the event.

Tyrese Haliburton was asked about Myles Turner's departure. Here's what he told Pat McAfee Show
Tyrese Haliburton was asked about Myles Turner's departure. Here's what he told Pat McAfee Show

Indianapolis Star

time10 hours ago

  • Indianapolis Star

Tyrese Haliburton was asked about Myles Turner's departure. Here's what he told Pat McAfee Show

Tyrese Haliburton appeared on the Pat McAfee Show on ESPN on Tuesday for his first public comments since his Achilles tendon tear in Game 7 of the NBA Finals which also meant his first comments since stalwart center Myles Turner left the Pacers to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks. Turner spent 10 years with the Pacers, playing only in Indiana since he was drafted in 2015. Haliburton and Turner developed a close and productive partnership as part of the Pacers' ball-screen actions and as part of the team's leadership as it built from a lottery team in 2022-23 to the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years this season. Haliburton was asked about Turner's departure and was diplomatic in his response. "Since I've gotten here and for the last 10 years Myles' name has been synonymous with our organization," Haliburton said. "He's done a lot here, and I think that people have really taken a liking to Myles. He's done some great things, been a part of some great groups. At the end of the day it is a business, he's gotta do what's best for him. I wish him the best moving forward. My focus is on the guys here and getting better here, but I wish him the best moving forward." "Myles Turner did some great things NBA is a business and he's gotta do what's best for him..I wish him the best moving forward" @TyHaliburton22 #PMSLive Turner entered free agency for the first time after his most recent two-year extension expired. The Bucks surprised the NBA by waiving and stretching seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard to create cap space and offered Turner a four-year, $107 million deal, which Turner took. Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said he felt like the Pacers were working toward a deal with Turner and that they were "in the ballpark" of an offer similar to the one the Bucks gave. But he indicated the Pacers were not given an opportunity to counter Milwaukee's offer. Turner discussed his decision to sign with the Bucks in a news conference in Las Vegas during the NBA Summer League. He said the decision was "ultimately about staying competitive" and he felt like signing with the Bucks would give him a chance to return to the NBA Finals.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store