Latest news with #ShaquilleONeal
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Shaquille O'Neal offers brutal verdict on Klay Thompson's relationship with Megan Thee Stallion
Klay Thompson and Megan Thee Stallion are very happily dating - though Shaquille O'Neal doesn't see the couple lasting very long at all. The pair made their red carpet debut last week as they attended the Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala in New York City. Megan even told told Page Six that she had 'never dated somebody so kind,' and the couple looked to be smitten with one another as they shared a kiss on the red carpet. However, NBA legend O'Neal isn't convinced. The topic of the relationship was brought up on his 'Big Podcast' with Adam Lefkoe and guest Mike Tyson, and the Lakers icon predicted the couple wouldn't even make it to the end of the summer.. 'Six weeks. The line is six weeks,' he said, referencing a fictional betting line. Mike Tyson has no idea who Klay Thompson is 😂😂😂 (🎥 @bigpodwithshaq / — NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 21, 2025 That possibility didn't seem likely as the couple attended the gala together on Wednesday, as Megan clutched her NBA beau's hand as they made their entrance into the event. 'This is my first relationship where I've ever been with somebody who's genuinely a nice person, and he makes me genuinely happy,' she told Page Six from the event. 'I just never dated somebody like him before and I'm just grateful that he's here by my side and he feels the same way about me.' Fans first speculated that the couple were an item when Thompson was seen in the background on a sun lounger in photos that the rapper had posted of herself while on vacation. They've since 'hard-launched' their relationship on social media, as Thompson posted a photo of them kissing on vacation, while Megan later shared a video of the pair working out together. Their romance comes just three months after Megan's relationship with another basketball player, Boston Celtics small forward Torrey Craig, seemingly came to an end. Over the years, the 30-year-old has been romantically linked with a number of high-profile names, including Chelsea soccer star Romelu Lukaku. The Mavericks star and rapper shared a kiss on the red carpet at a gala last week She also previously dated fellow rappers Tory Lanez — who is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence after shooting her in the foot nearly five years ago — and Moneybagg Yo, as well as songwriter Pardison 'Pardi' Fontaine. In August of last year, the musician confirmed she was dating Craig after accidentally sharing a video of them together on TikTok. She posted a clip of her and Craig, who was playing for the Chicago Bulls at the time, carrying out a couple's challenge while laying in bed together. Thompson previously dated actress Laura Harrier from 2018 to 2020. From 2021 to 2023, he had been linked with singer Coco Jones (though there is little public evidence of their relationship). Jones recently got engaged to Cavs star Donovan Mitchell. Thompson, recently wrapped up his debut season with the Mavs after ending his 13-year stay with the Warriors last year.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"Shaq was pretty hard-headed, there's no doubt about it" - Phil Jackson on why Shaq may have been the toughest superstar he ever coached
"Shaq was pretty hard-headed, there's no doubt about it" - Phil Jackson on why Shaq may have been the toughest superstar he ever coached originally appeared on Basketball Network. Kobe Bryant wasn't the only personality Phil Jackson had to handle during his first stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. In fact, contrary to popular belief, Kobe might not have even been the toughest to manage. At least in Jackson's view, that distinction may have belonged to the 7'1", 325-pound centerpiece of the Lakers' early-2000s dominance, Shaquille O'Neal. It had little to do with ego or off-court theatrics and everything to do with the constant battle of harnessing talent that was both generational and, at times, uncontainable. Handling O'Neal Jackson arrived in L.A. in 1999, and O'Neal was already a dominant force and a walking mismatch who had bullied his way to multiple All-NBA First Team selections. But what Jackson saw wasn't just raw talent. It was potential that still hadn't been fully shaped into a championship mold. And that became one of his biggest coaching challenges. "Shaq's pretty hard-headed, there's no doubt about it," Jackson said. "But it was pretty easy to be positive with him, because everything in this offensive system looks to get the ball in the middle, you are looking to find the ball in the post, that's your first priority. Get the ball inside and see the best penetration way to get the ball close to the basket. That's the goal of almost every game." Jackson's triangle offense was tailor-made to spotlight a dominant interior player, and O'Neal became the focal point with his unmatched presence in the paint. But getting O'Neal to commit — mentally and physically — was a different kind of coaching effort. There were days when Jackson had to balance patience with pressure, managing the rhythms of a player whose conditioning and focus could swing with the season. What made O'Neal unique wasn't just his size. It was the finesse that lived within his power. His footwork and basketball IQ often got overshadowed by his brute force. And for Jackson, the mission was about aligning his game with the demands of a system that required discipline over dominance. The Lakers' three-peat from 2000 to 2002 didn't happen simply because they had stars. It happened because Jackson managed to fuse superstar energy with structured philosophy. And keeping O'Neal on the line was the thread that held the plan together. Even in moments of friction — be it with teammates, media or staff — O'Neal's role in the triangle offense remained untouchable. Everything started and ended with him on the integral part During that Lakers run, the towering Lakers big man averaged 28.5 points and 12.3 rebounds in the regular season and elevated those numbers even further in the playoffs. In 2000, he led the league in scoring and was named MVP. But what made him invaluable was his gravity and the way defenses collapsed, shooters got open and the way the triangle system could breathe, because he occupied so much attention and minutes on the floor. "With Shaq, it was more about getting yourself ready to play for a duration," Jackson said, That 1999–2000 season remains the statistical high-water mark for O'Neal's endurance. Averaging 40 minutes per game over an 82-game season — and even more in the postseason — was a grind. Yet it was also a necessity. Jackson needed him out there, anchoring both ends of the court, not just for the physical impact but for the psychological edge. When O'Neal was on the floor, the Lakers were a different team — tougher and less vulnerable. But that also meant Jackson had to constantly monitor O'Neal's health, practice intensity, and in-game stamina. Unlike Michael Jordan, who thrived on nonstop competition, or Bryant, who lived in the gym, O'Neal required a tailored approach, one that preserved his body but sharpened his edge. The payoff came in the form of one of the most dominant playoff stretches the league has ever seen. In the 2000 postseason, O'Neal averaged 30.7 points and 15.4 rebounds. He had three 40-point games in the Finals alone. And yet, beneath the highlights and hardware, Jackson never forgot just how tough the process story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shaq O'Neal gives Megan Thee Stallion, Klay Thompson romance 'six weeks'
Shaquille O'Neal has given the budding romance between basketballer Klay Thompson and rapper Megan Thee Stallion "six weeks". On The Big Podcast with Shaq, co-host Adam Lefkoe, guest Mike Tyson and NBA legend O'Neal dissected the buzz around one of the summer's most talked-about celebrity pairings: Dallas Mavericks sharpshooter Thompson and the Grammy-winning rapper. "Shaq, did you see the news about the new hot couple?" Lefkoe asked. When Mike Tyson asked, "Who's Klay Thompson, though?" Lefkoe summarised Thompson's resume: "He's now on the Mavericks and he's with Megan Thee Stallion." O'Neal then dropped a playful and sceptical "expiration date" on the couple's fling, predicting it'll last just six weeks. Tyson chimed in, arguing that the couple's bond might have more staying power than O'Neal thinks. In July last year, Thompson signed a three-year $50 million deal to join the Dallas Mavericks. Rumours of a Klay/Megan romance began this spring when eagle-eyed fans spotted the Mavericks guard in the background of her poolside Instagram photos. The duo made their red carpet debut together at Megan's Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala in New York City on 16 July, with the singer praising Thompson as the "nicest person I've ever met in my life".
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shaquille O'Neal's wholesome reaction after defeating Michael Jordan in the 1995 playoffs: "He's the real Superman"
Shaquille O'Neal's wholesome reaction after defeating Michael Jordan in the 1995 playoffs: "He's the real Superman" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Shaquille O'Neal was a star on the rise in 1995, dominating the opposition with the Orlando Magic. He had the privilege of going against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the playoffs of the same year. MJ came back from his first retirement in March and everyone wondered if he could win another title even after he missed more than half of a season. The Bulls and the Magic met in the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals. Jordan proved he could still score in bunches but was terribly out of basketball shape. Shaq didn't agree, though, as he gave Jordan his flowers. "I don't think Michael ever gets tired. He is a real Superman and I am a real Superboy," Shaq said after leading the Magic to a 110-101 Game 3 win over the Bulls via NYT. It was a humbling comment for Shaq, who witnessed Jordan go off for 40 points in that game. But with only Scottie Pippen providing Michael support, the Bulls failed to get over the resurgent Magic. Jersey reversion hardly helped Jordan and the Bulls Game 3 was the second game since Jordan reverted to his old jersey, no. 23. Michael initially wore no. 45, explaining that he felt it was a new beginning. It was the same jersey number he wore in high school. Despite the jersey number change, the only good it did back then was seeing Jordan going back to his heavy-scoring ways. After scoring 19 points in Game 1, the last time he wore the no. 45, Michael went berserk in the games that followed. He scored, 38, 40, 26, 39 and 24 points in the succeeding games respectively. Despite his efforts, Jordan's heavy scoring was not enough to overcome a gritty Magic team. Orlando knew it was impossible to prevent Michael from scoring. Hence, they did the next best thing, focusing their defense on the rest of the Bulls. "We knew if we shut everyone else down, we had a chance," O'Neal Bulls was a must for Magic Throughout that series, the Bulls got all the media attention because of Jordan. It overshadowed the stellar season that O'Neal and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway had. But for the Magic, they didn't care as it was all about proving they were the best at the time. The key was to defeat the Bulls, something they accomplished in six games. Although Shaq was dominant, he gave props to Hardaway in that series. O'Neal pointed out how Hardaway held his own against Jordan, crediting his fearless mentality. "Penny is the only guy I've seen who didn't really care that he was playing against Michael Jordan. He had that same fearless mentality that I had," O'Neal stated. This didn't mean Hardaway disrespected Jordan. He held the same level of respect that Shaq had for him but knew that getting over MJ and Chicago was a must if they wanted a chance at the title. "If you're the greatest of all time, which I respect, then you're going to have to show me. That was my mentality. I wanted to play against Michael Jordan. If we were going to get to a championship, we had to go through him," Hardaway quipped. The Magic survived the Indiana Pacers in the 1995 Eastern Conference finals after that and the next matchup was against the Houston Rockets in the Finals. Orlando saw its run come to an abrupt end against Houston. Hakeem Olajuwon and company swept them. They had a better 1995-96 regular season but fell short in the playoffs. Facing the Bulls again, this time in the ECF, Chicago got payback by sweeping Orlando to advance, as MJ was back to his old dominating form after a full offseason. Things got even worse after that for the Magic with O'Neal leaving the franchise for the Los Angeles Lakers. When O'Neal moved to L.A., his rise to greatness was cemented. He won three titles in a row with the Lakers and bagged his first and only MVP in 2000. That three-year run was probably the most dominating run by a player in NBA history because nobody could stop O' story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA legend says Mavericks' Cooper Flagg is 'above rookie curve'
To absolutely nobody's surprise, the Dallas Mavericks drafted Cooper Flagg with the number one overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. And how could they not have? Flagg was the projected no. 1 pick across the board after just a single season with the Duke Blue Devils, and even been called the top American prospect in basketball since his current teammate, Anthony Davis, was drafted back in 2012. And his skill at such a young age is shocking NBA legends, including Shaquille O'Neal, who has been very vocal in his praise for Flagg and his game. In an interview with DJ Siddiqi of RG, the NBA Hall of Famer continued his praise, saying Flagg was above the curve that most people set for rookies in the game today, especially young ones like Flagg that are barely out of high school. "In his highlights, he looks phenomenal, O'Neal said. "You must realize he's an 18-year-old kid. You can't put too much pressure on him. From my experience, you get two years before people really start staying it's time to win, but I think he's way above that 18-year-old curve." "Shaq" also praised the Dallas fan base, saying that Flagg will be treated well where he is, due to the controversy the team has been a part of over the past few months, and compared him to another Mavs legend. "This fan base is definitely going to treat him well through the ups and downs, because we celebrate Dirk Nowitzki," said O'Neal. "I remember Dirk when he first came in. He was not Dirk, he turned into Dirk. But the Dallas fans have always been great. Cooper Flagg is playing for a great organization, great town, great fan base. He'll be absolutely fine." Given that the young star just dropped 31 points on the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Summer League recently, it seems that Flagg is settling in sooner than most may have expected.
