Broadcasting from the NBA Finals, Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal said he has no doubt he would defeat San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama in a one-on-one game.
The four-time NBA champion spoke with reporter Melissa Rohlin of The California Post while working the series as part of ESPN’s “Inside the NBA” studio team. Asked how he would fare against the 7-foot-4 Frenchman, O’Neal laughed off the matchup.
“Oh, stop it,” O’Neal said, smiling. “He’s too light in the cakes for me. Stop it. But I’m not known for defense, so he probably would’ve scored a few points also. There’s no guarding me one-on-one. He’s a great player. This is his time now. This is not about me.”
Wembanyama, in his third NBA season and first postseason, has led San Antonio to the Finals against the New York Knicks. The Spurs trail 3-1, but the 20-year-old center is widely viewed as a future face of the league.
O’Neal, the 1999-2000 Most Valuable Player and a 15-time All-Star, acknowledged that defending Wembanyama would be difficult. Likewise, he believes the young Spur would struggle to contain his own power around the basket.
Advice from one big man to another
During a recent “Inside the NBA” segment following a Spurs victory, O’Neal offered Wembanyama guidance on mindset rather than skill set.
“I don’t want you to be like me, I want you to have a certain mentality,” O’Neal said. “The same mentality I saw Charles Barkley have, that Patrick Ewing had, that Draymond [Green] has. He came out with a lot of energy, a lot of effort. Whenever he’s higher in scoring and playing like that, the team plays well. That’s all I’m asking him to do. I’m not asking him to be me, I’m asking him to have that mentality because this is what it takes to win a championship.”
The Spurs must win three straight games to capture the Larry O’Brien Trophy, a feat that would instantly place Wembanyama among the league’s elite. Regardless of this year’s outcome, O’Neal said the 20-year-old is already on course to dominate the NBA for years to come.
Source: LakersNation.com
