Not too long ago, Shaquille O'Neal relinquished the “Superman” nickname to Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
It was a huge gesture of respect coming from the Hall of Fame center, considering how he rejected the idea of Dwight Howard being referred to as the “Man of Steel” during his prime years. Such reverence also had O'Neal coming to the Bucks' defense on ESPN's First Take recently.
“Let me tell you something, don't disrespect the champions because all these teams got big-name players. Give the champions their due respect. He (Giannis Antetokounmpo) did it the right way; he did it the respectful way, I'm going to give that man all the respect till they beat him. The new Superman is going to be a problem in the east. Period. I said it.”
The offseason saw the Brooklyn Nets stockpile on talent and veteran presence with the additions of Patty Mills, Paul Millsap, and the returning LaMarcus Aldridge. They also got hold of a reclamation project in Sekou Doumbouya.
These moves brought much chatter to the Nets, but O'Neal wants people to not forget about the Bucks. They're still the defending champions. They unenviably possess the largest target on their backs. Outside of the Nets, the Los Angeles Lakers also boast a ridiculous list of additions this offseason.
The Bucks' biggest loss is, perhaps, P.J. Tucker, who's now a member of the Miami Heat. They did acquire Semi Ojeleye, Grayson Allen, and George Hill to bolster their bench. Still, their championship core remains intact, led by their Big Three, which bodes very well for their title defense.
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