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Coach Mike D'Antoni reveals how NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal's game inspired him to reshape basketball
How did NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal's domination inspire coach Mike D'Antoni to reshape basketball? (Image Source: Getty)
Mike D'Antoni has transformed the Phoenix Suns, with the sole goal of countering the NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal's dominance on the basketball field. With newer possibilities, D'Antoni has been able to reshape the NBA and has done it brilliantly.
Shaquille O'Neal was unbeatable, says Mike D'Antoni
The Phoenix Suns hadn't been performing well, so by the end of the 2003-2004 NBA season, Mike D'Antoni took over as the head coach. It was D'Antoni's job to change the game and reshape the team as much as he could. Back then, NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal was playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, and the team was unbeatable, with him being one of their brilliant players. While speaking on the 'On Point' podcast, D'Antoni explained how they came up with a solid plan while focusing on winning, and making it even harder for the team to defend.
He said, 'It started, excuse me, earlier in my career, and I thought in Europe when I was coaching in Europe, that's the best way to play and was working, Obviously, then you come to the NBA, you have better players to do what I always thought that needed to be done.'
D'Antoni said as per Lakers Nation, 'A big driving force was that Shaquille O'Neal was the center in Los Angeles, which is in our division. And we always said among ourselves, you can't out Shaq Shaq.
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You can't just trot somebody out there and think you're gonna get the best of Shaq. So we had to figure out a way to beat him. And that was to speed the game up, take more 3s and spread them out, and then they give us a chance to win.'
While Shaq left after a little while, what D'Antoni taught the team stayed with them. It changed the way basketball was taught and played, and high speed and being able to pass the ball as quickly as one can, meant everything.
He said, "Getting the ball in quick, getting all guys to believe in what we're doing to run the floor, spread 'em out and beat Shaq down the floor or beat any big down the floor. And as players got used to it, also a side effect of the other team having to play at that pace that they never practiced, and they never did it.'
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D'Antoni was aware nobody was able to stop Shaquille O'Neal. His focus was completely on speed, and even bigger players couldn't possibly match the level.
