"Work harder for who, who gonna stop me anyway?" - Shaquille O'Neal responds to criticism he didn't work hard during his career
One of the most dominant players of all time, Shaquille O'Neal, was often criticized for his lack of discipline and work ethic off the court. The towering presence of the 7-foot-1, 330-pound beast during his prime was unstoppable for entire defenses, let alone a single defensive player. However, many believe that Shaq's dominance could have been prolonged with a greater commitment to training and off-court activities and staying in top shape.
Recently, the retired center doubled down on his stance regarding this supposed shortcoming, or as he sees it, how things simply were set out for him.
“My arrogant response to that is: One, work harder for who? Work harder for who, who gonna stop me anyway… And my other response is: I don’t have to work that hard, see what I’m saying… I don’t have to work that hard to do what I need to do, 'cause it’s up here,” The Big Diesel claimed while pointing his head.
Rookie Shaq was already a beast
As a reminder, Shaq entered the league as the first pick of the 1992 NBA Draft at just 20 years old. To say he confirmed his readiness for the "big boys" league from his first game is an understatement; after all, he was a big boy himself, and he made that abundantly clear since day one.
In his rookie season, he averaged 23.4 points per game, along with 13.9 rebounds and an impressive 3.5 blocked shots. Additionally, he was named Rookie of the Year, although not unanimously, which still makes him "salty" to this day.
Nevertheless, his fantastic performances on the court earned him his first All-Star appearance, and he even finished seventh in the race for the Most Valuable Player award. With this in mind, it's clear why The Big Aristotle believes he didn't need extra training to be at the highest level.
“All that hours in the gym, some people need to do that to get to that level, I came in him. Some guys came in and had to work their way, two or three years, but that’s what you have to do to get to your spot. I did what I did,” he added.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda
Fast forward 19 seasons in the Association, and the retired center can boast an impressive trophy cabinet. A 15-time All-Star, 4-time NBA champion, including three Finals MVPs, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, Shaq undoubtedly deserves the highest level of respect for his career, even though some felt he didn't always have his "foot on the gas," at least regarding off-court activities.
Always ready with a joke, we can only imagine how much more dominant the powerhouse center could have been if he had the mental discipline of his teammate, Kobe Bryant. Regardless of these theoretical scenarios, O'Neal will always be remembered as one of the most dominant players ever to set foot on an NBA hardwood.
