Stephen A. Smith Takes A Dig At Shaquille O’Neal After His Disrespectful Comments About Lakers Coach JJ Redick

Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen A. Smith, JJ Redick (Image Source: Getty Images)
Stephen A. Smith recently criticized NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal for his remarks against JJ Redick, the recently hired coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Smith addressed O’Neal’s comments on “The Big Podcast with Shaq” in July.

The four-time NBA champion discussed how Redick must win the respect of every one of his teammates. He also said he would not play for a coach he had only played against four or five years prior.

Smith said, “Stop lying. Cuz they would be paying you and you know that check was in the mail, you’d play. Stop that big boy, you know I know better than that.”

Smith continued by referring to JJ Redick as one of the best collegiate basketball players ever. He said that Redick had played basketball for 15 years in the NBA and was well-versed in the sport. Smith claims that the Lakers players won’t doubt the depth of their new coach’s expertise in the game.

But the ESPN pundit also made fun of Redick’s appointment. He did not waver in his conviction that Lakers superstar LeBron James influenced Redick’s hiring.

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What Comments Did Shaquille O’Neal Make On JJ Redick After His Appointment As Lakers HC?

Shaquille O’Neal discussed Redick’s employment in an episode of his podcast, “The Big Podcast with Shaq.”

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He said, “It’s crazy that a guy with no experience can overshadow someone like Sam Cassell, who’s been in the league for 15 years. No disrespect to JJ, but I think Sam should also get the same consideration.”

Shaq added, “I’m happy for JJ, but there’s a lot of pressure. Winning games won’t be enough. The expectation when you take the Lakers job, or the Miami Heat job, is to win championships.”

O’Neal’s remarks highlight the scrutiny Redick will face when he begins his coaching career with the Lakers—a franchise with a legendary past and huge expectations.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Charles Barkley
Since joining the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo has established himself as one of the league’s best players. The Milwaukee Bucks star reached new heights in 2021 when he led the Bucks to an NBA championship and earned Finals MVP honors. This was Antetokounmpo’s second MVP award, following his regular-season MVP win the previous year.

Recently, former NBA star Charles Barkley appeared on the Bill Simmons podcast and shared his thoughts on how Giannis can win another championship. Barkley claimed that while Antetokounmpo is an exceptional talent, he still needs to improve his game.

“Giannis has to get better as a basketball player. Just going downhill 1-on-5 isn’t going to work. It doesn’t work, and he’s a terrific player and a terrific kid, but he has to get better as a basketball player. I’m not a Milwaukee guy,” Barkley said.

Despite Barkley’s critique, Giannis already has a resume that rivals Barkley’s own NBA career. Last season, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game when the Bucks ended the season with a record of 49-33.

Porter Jr. Claims Giannis Antetokounmpo Would Dominate Any NBA Era

While Giannis Antetokounmpo has faced criticism from figures like Kevin Garnett, he also has admirers, including Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr. During his appearance on The Ringer’s Off Guard Podcast with Austin Rivers, Porter Jr. made a bold statement about Antetokounmpo’s talent.

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“If you take some of these players and put them then… like, if you put Giannis [Antetokounmpo] in that era, he would’ve been the best player to ever touch a basketball,” Porter Jr. said.

The eight-time NBA All-Star will begin his upcoming season against the Boston Celtics on October 28. Fans will watch to see if he can live up to these high expectations again.

NFL Fans Are Losing Their Minds After Spotting Clear Evidence In New Video That Suggests Taylor Swift Will Be Performing At The Super Bowl Halftime Show In February

Taylor Swift (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift is gearing up for another NFL season with the Kansas City Chiefs, having proven to be quite the good luck charm in 2023.

But fans now reckon she will headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show as well.

That is all thanks to a hype video the league released this week in which Swift was more prominent than some of its best players. Travis Kelce’s pop star girlfriend was shown five times in the clip, more than any player appeared.

Social media took this to mean that Swift will be the one performing at the Super Bowl LIX.

“Swift is in the hype video don’t be mad guys,” one fan wrote.

“She’s literally more famous than all of them combined… it’s called marketing,” said a second.

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“It’s actually impressive how much Tswift clips you fit into this short video,” another user observed.

“It’s taylor dominance,” a comment read.

Fans Are Also Pissed Of At The NFL Over Taylor Swift’s Many Appearances

While Taylor Swift was front and center, some of the NFL’s most popular players were left out. That includes Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy, Justin Jefferson, Matthew Stafford, and C.J. Stroud. Reigning MVP Lamar Jackson was only shown once.

Fans were not best pleased and are now calling for the NFL to get off the Swift train this year.

“Call me crazy, but I think football needs LESS Taylor swift in 2024,” someone declared.

“Taylor needs to be Swiftly taken off our tv, keep it about football,” another added.

“NFL going full Swiftie makes me so uninterested to watch,” someone else claimed.

“Taylor Swift was shown 5 times in this 28 second clip of football being back,” another pointed out.

Of course, the league will do no such thing. Swift’s involvement brought them millions of new viewers last season. They’re counting on her to attract even more.

Meanwhile, the new NFL season is set to kick off this Thursday night, with the Chiefs playing in a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens.