2 days ago
Shaq makes bold claim about Jayson Tatum's Hall of Fame credentials
Shaquille O'Neal isn't buying Jayson Tatum's Hall of Fame résumé just yet.
Tatum is an NBA champion, six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection at 27, but O'Neal is not convinced those accolades are enough to warrant the Celtics star entry into the Hall.
On his 'The Big Podcast,' Shaq didn't seem swayed as his co-host, Adam Lefkoe, made Tatum's Hall of Fame case.
'He's at an interesting point because his résumé is already Hall of Fame,' Lefkoe said, to which O'Neal responded: 'What … he's a Hall of Famer?'
3 Shaquille O'Neal isn't convinced about Jayson Tatum's Hall of
Fame credentials just yet.
Screengrab via X/@TheDunkCentral
From there, O'Neal claimed that there's a regular Basketball Hall of Fame, and then a 'Bad Motherf–ker Hall of Fame.'
Among active players besides LeBron James — a no-brainer selection — Shaq deemed Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic worthy of entry to the 'Bad Motherf–ker Hall of Fame.'
By the numbers, Tatum would seem to be well in position to make the Hall of Fame through his first eight years in the league.
The NBA title, All-Star appearances and All-NBA selections speak for themselves, and Tatum also has an Olympic gold medal to his name, as Lefkoe went on to note.
There are multiple Hall of Famers with similar résumés to Tatum's.
3 Jayson Tatum is an NBA champion, six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection.
AP
Grant Hill, for instance, was a seven-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA pick but never an NBA champion, and Alonzo Mourning was a one-time champion, seven-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection.
On paper, Tatum's resume to this point is on a similar level.
Shaq, a Hall of Famer himself, still needs to see more.
3 Shaquille O'Neal isn't sold on Jayson Tatum's Hall of Fame credentials.
AP
Tatum will be out for most — if not all — of next season after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Game 4 of the second round against the Knicks.
When he returns, he'll almost surely return to perennial All-Star and All-NBA form, making it even tougher for Shaq to defend his bold take.
