NEW YORK — Speaking on ESPN’s “Inside the NBA” after San Antonio’s Game 3 victory in the 2026 NBA Finals, Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal offered pointed guidance to Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
O’Neal, a frequent critic of contemporary big men, clarified that his past remarks about the 7-foot-5 forward were never meant to force him into a traditional center’s role. Instead, he said, the message concerns attitude, not playing style.
“It’s About Mentality, Not Imitation”
“I don’t want you to be like me,” O’Neal said on the post-game broadcast. “I want you to have the mentality I saw from guys like Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing and Draymond Green. Come out with energy and effort. When he scores aggressively, the whole team follows. That’s what it takes to win a championship.”
Wembanyama led San Antonio to the Finals in just his third NBA season and delivered a standout performance at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks on June 8. Although his perimeter shooting and face-up game set him apart from past interior dominators, O’Neal stressed that increased physicality in the paint would amplify the Spurs’ overall intensity.
Historic Company
The French phenom’s postseason run has already placed him alongside O’Neal in the record books. Wembanyama became the first player since the Lakers legend in 2001 to record a specific Finals accomplishment, underscoring his rising status as one of the league’s most impactful young talents.
San Antonio now holds a 2-1 series lead as the Finals continue in New York.
Source: LakersNation.com
