Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal has been on the case of Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis for a while now. Nothing nefarious, simply the droll of an aging NBA alumnus that believes he can motivate the star centers that came after him to reach a new level of greatness.
Speaking about Davis on The Big Podcast With Shaq, O'Neal addresses his recent criticism of AD and his summation that the eight-time All-Star had declined. Known to stand firm on his opinions, the big fella not only refused to back down, but he doubled down on it.
āThen my plan is working,ā says Shaq when met with the reality of AD's recent play.
"Everything is up to AD."@SHAQ thinks the Lakers' fate rests with the big man š pic.twitter.com/10Y3lhRhP9
ā NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 9, 2023
āHe's still top-10. He's still a great player. But I'm talking about status-wise; I remember we were saying, āHe's the best player in the league.'ā
Although AD has been one of the most talented players in the league for the past decade, O'Neal is certainly not wrong about the expectations for Davis. Even going back to when LeBron James joined the Lakers, it's interesting to note that James believed AD could become not only the best player on the team but the best player in the league.
Hampers and inconsistent physicality, which truly could go hand-in-hand, have diminished those expectations. In fact, AD now finds himself as the butt of plenty of jokes rather than the perennial All-Star placed on a pedestal and looked at as the best players in the league.
To Shaq, the circumstances of the past don't matter. All that matters is what AD is now, and what he can be in the future.
āNo excuses in this league. Don't matter why you fell off. You still fell off,ā Shaq says.
āEverything is up to AD.ā
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