What is Shaquille O'Neal so mad about, and why is NBA coverage so mean spirited?

[druggas]

He does it for ratings.

[uncleduck13]

Shaq is insecure regarding his own legacy. For as much as he’s accomplished, he still isn’t content. He feels like he left so much more on the table. From titles to MVPs. This is where the jealousy comes in to play. He sees guys like Jokic, Giannis, potentially Wemby, and knows his days as top 10 all-time are numbered.

At this point he can only resort to things like blaming Nash for ‘stealing’ his MVPs and calling the league soft in attempt to downplaying the accomplishments of current players. Mainly Jokic

[mastermixer]

I’m as big a LeBron hater as you’ll nine but Shaq’s take on his longevity is just insane.

He definitely picked the wrong one to use as an example lol.


LeBron’s a one in a lifetime player that could reproduce his career in any era.

It’s not like there weren’t “Ben Simmons” type contract thiefs in Shaq’s era. They just all happen to play for ur Knicks lol

[reddyplayerone]

Click on any thread with enough posts, especially if it involves a big-name player. You'll see loads of posts that are just as stupid and/or mean-spirited, if not more so. It shouldn't be a mystery why NBA coverage is like this. It appeals to a lot of people.

Yeah this is why I just have no space for all of this pearl clutching around NBA media and coverage.

This stuff has never tilted particularly positive generally and it doesn't have to?

Like we're far removed from the age where the discourse around the NBA is about a players hair or tattoos or calling these guys "thugs" or talking about how many children they have or all of that stuff that was actually really gross and that's a good thing!

What we have now though is just guys like Shaq who say they just don't like the game today, and like that's fine. I don't even agree with that sentiment but I think it's equally ridiculous to think anyone involved with covering the NBA is under any obligation to frame things as only positive

[og15]

Yea, it's Shaq, and he's not the best with attempting any sort of objective analysis.

Secondly, it's Shaq and he goes more by feeling than analysis, as you can see by, I hated a guy without even watching him.

We remember the clip of Shaq talking about Billups being the Pistons coach and Candace is just like smh

Shaq knows he can't go back and add more to his legacy, and he knows his legacy could have been more. So I think there's an aspect of, in order to try and protect his legacy, he's like if I crap on the people after me who might or might not get more of this or that, then I can maintain my position.

[Onlytimewilltel]

Shaq is an emotional bitch and also a bully. He’s probably still there because no one has the balls to fire him lol

[sp6r=underrated]

I don't think coverage of other sports and athletes is this nasty. Why do we NBA fans, and the league and players, have to suffer through it?

Shaq is terrible on TV and I don't understand how he has lasted on TV. As you said, he has a bad voice and basically **** on the product 24/7. Normally ATGs who want to announce but suck at it are given a shot and quietly leave. Emmit Smith is a good example as is Drew Brees.

A sensible league would have forced him out years ago.

I do see him differently than Barkley. Barkley does crap on the league but there is a sense of joy to Barkley. And he's way more charismatic while allowing people to criticize him which Shaq never does. Barkley comes off as a pro-wrestler giving his heel promo tongue in cheek while setting up the good guy to mock him. Shaq comes off genuinely bitter, for reasons I don't understand.

The general negativity of the NBA coverage sucks but I think that is mainly due to the NBA's marketing strategy. The NBA in the 21st Century has leaned heavily on social media for marketing. And negativity drives social media.

[Special_Puppy]

Shaq just doesn’t seem very happy tbh.

[sp6r=underrated]

I do not watch Inside the NBA or ESPN, but I am not American, I can games through other media. I can't imagine watching that, but I understand in America thats often the only way to watch games, so you have to watch Stephen A or Shaq talk, I feel bad for you guys.

Why is that TNT show still on, because any time I hear anyone I follow talk about it, they talk how they crap on the NBA, and I mean they literally are National NBA media. How is NBA even allow these guys on tv then lol? When I watch F1, I don't sit through people who say to me that its ****, like wtf?

Nba doesnt own espn or tnt, is closer to the opposite in the sense the nba is -paid- by tv media for their games

So espn and tnt basically pay (huge, ever bigger sacks of money) nba to cover the league and its games, and then hire "analysts" whose style of analysis is hating on basketball and telling the audience how bad the product they are paying a fortune for actually is

This seems deranged but you're actually telling the truth. The NBA business partners basically says the NBA suck. By contrast the NFL never allows announcers to say this game sucks.

[sp6r=underrated]

This is from last week. Says he'd turn Jokic into Serbian Chicken. (Or actually he said Slovenian Chicken)

Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

A few things:

1. Basketball is an international, interracial game. To state the obvious, people are sensitive about race and national identities. It causes actual violence in the world everyday. I'm not naive. Comments like this do occur during games but the NBA should never allow ethnic/national rhetoric on their broadcasts.
2. That comment also captures the contrast between Barkley and Shaq. It would be bad if Barkley said it but he would say it in such a manner that it came off as an obvious joke, with Barkley the butt of it as much as Jokic. Shaq comes off as if he genuinely hates eastern euro players.

[dc]

Shaq is a piece of **** who clearly doesn't even watch basketball hardly at all. He regularly doesn't know who players are.

Same goes with that entire TNT crew.

Think about Barkley's "Who he play for?" segment. People derive entertainment from what Chuck DOESN'T know.

[jokeboy86]

It's not just an NBA thing as far as the dismissive almost angry tone, it's a pro sports thing and it's moreso about the audience. I've been watching the women's college basketball tournament and I noticed when Andraya, Chiney, and Elle are talking about these games how great their analysis is and I notice the same thing when Jay Bilas and Jay Williams were analyzing the men's side. Basically the sports that you see covered on the hot take shows and attract the most casual fans allow for the laziest commentary. Inside the NBA being one of them. It's actually refreshing hearing Vince Carter and Candace Parker on the show because they're trying to analyze the game and then Shaq comes along with his basic commentary.

[damanick10]

I don't get why Shaq is in all these commercials and top analyst position. He's boring, dumb, and a narcissistic ****. He was super fun to watch when he was playing no doubt, but he isn't a person that should really be in the spot light in this point in his career.

[HotRocks34]

The reality is that, in general, the coverage of the NBA right now sucks. The two main outlets, ESPN and TNT, just aren't getting it done. Apologies to those at those places who are doing a good job.

I'm really hoping that NBC and Amazon can improve the product.

[sp6r=underrated]

It's not just an NBA thing as far as the dismissive almost angry tone, it's a pro sports thing and it's moreso about the audience. I've been watching the women's college basketball tournament and I noticed when Andraya, Chiney, and Elle are talking about these games how great their analysis is and I notice the same thing when Jay Bilas and Jay Williams were analyzing the men's side. Basically the sports that you see covered on the hot take shows and attract the most casual fans allow for the laziest commentary. Inside the NBA being one of them. It's actually refreshing hearing Vince Carter and Candace Parker on the show because they're trying to analyze the game and then Shaq comes along with his basic commentary.

Fully agree with all of the above. I'm blown away when I watch college hoops during the tournament and hear Jay Bilas talk. You can tell he loves NCAA hoops, takes it seriously and tries to explain the game in an entertaining fashion. And Candace Parker is a breath of fresh air. The first time I hear her on NBA TV I was shocked with how seriously she took the game. She's great.

[NyKnicks1714]

Shaq is a piece of **** who clearly doesn't even watch basketball hardly at all. He regularly doesn't know who players are.

Same goes with that entire TNT crew.

Think about Barkley's "Who he play for?" segment. People derive entertainment from what Chuck DOESN'T know.

Don't you dare ever speak negatively about Who He Play For?

[Quattro]

I don't remember the league ever bring like this when I was growing up. The current guys claiming they'd score 200 points a game if they played 30 years ago and the old vets claiming the new players suck. It's pretty disrespectful both ways frankly

[Jazz9]

Going at LeBron as if he didn't start playing in 2003 and only played in this so called weak era...

[Jazz9]

I don't remember the league ever bring like this when I was growing up. The current guys claiming they'd score 200 points a game if they played 30 years ago and the old vets claiming the new players suck. It's pretty disrespectful both ways frankly

I remember Wilt saying Jordan wouldn't be able to get to the basket as easily in his era etc
Don't remember a show supposed to promote the NBA crap on it as much as Inside the NBA though

[jokeboy86]

I don't remember the league ever bring like this when I was growing up. The current guys claiming they'd score 200 points a game if they played 30 years ago and the old vets claiming the new players suck. It's pretty disrespectful both ways frankly

Oh dont get it twisted, there’s always been people from prior generations complaining about things of the present, it’s just in the past the main media outlets would basically ignore them or not really seek them out. Now because of the WWW, podcasts, social media and how lucrative it is to be a hater or “just speaking their mind” or “keeping it 100”, everybody on Earth has a platform or outlet to get their opinions out there. And if you’re even a semi-famous person or even were years ago, your take can gain attention.