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Shaq defends LeBron James from 'ring chaser' label after 76ers decision
Shaquille O'Neal doesn't agree with critics labeling LeBron James a ring chaser after his decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers , and he pointed to his own career in response.
O'Neal, appearing on the July 27 edition of SiriusXM's "The Stephen A. Smith Show," offered his perspective on James picking the Sixers over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors by equating the choice to one he made at the end of his own NBA career. At the end of his career, O'Neal also signed a two-year veteran-minimum contract with the Celtics to join Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in Boston ahead of the 2010-11 season.
"It's funny to me that people that don't have rings and saying, 'He's a ring chaser,' No. He's continuing to chase," O'Neal told Smith. "He's chasing the chance to continue to be great, to continue to add legacy to his book. Listen, he knows, well he doesn't really know yet, but you know and I know when this thing is over, it's over. You can't come back. Once you retire, once your body says I can't go no more, it's over."
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"This guy feels he has two, three more years left," O'Neal continued. "Why not try to get another championship? I did it. I did it with Boston. After I won three in a row and then won one in Miami, hey, towards the end of my career, let me go play with Paul and KG and be like the fourth guy and rebound and set picks and see if I can win one. And that's what he's doing."
O'Neal's one season with the Celtics became his 19th and final year as an NBA player. He played in just 37 games during the regular season and made just two playoff appearances due to injury.
O'Neal's run with the Celtics was preceded by a one-year stint as a teammate of James with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2009-10 season. He won three NBA championships in a row with the Los Angeles Lakers (2000-02) and a fourth title with the Miami Heat in 2006.
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Though O'Neal made it a point to defend James in front of Smith, one of James' noted antagonists, the Hall of Fame center and 'Inside the NBA' host also expressed skepticism about how the Sixers ' new starting lineup will fit together. He called the roster "fabulous" on paper, but singled out Tyrese Maxey as "the person I feel sorry for" with Jaylen Brown and James added this offseason.
"He came in a regular guy. Joel Embiid was hurt most of the year. Tyrese rose up like, 'Hey, I'm the star. This is my team,' " O'Neal said. "Now you bring Jaylen Brown in. Is he going to take a step back? Not only that, you bring LeBron in, is he going to take another step back? Now Joel comes in shape and he wants to play, (Maxey's) going to have to revert back to being a regular guy. And will that affect him?
"He was becoming a star," O'Neal added, "and sometimes somebody, one or two people on that team is going to have to defer. Defer to who, I don't know. Whether it's defer to Jaylen, defer to LeBron, defer to Embiid, I don't know. But four big-name guys, everybody can't get off every night."
In Philadelphia, James will attempt to become the first player in NBA history to win championships with four different teams.
Even with his concerns, O'Neal was unequivocal when discussing expectations: "It's championship-or-bust for LeBron and Jaylen."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shaq defends LeBron James from 'ring chaser' label after 76ers decision
ShaqLeBron JamesShaquille O'NealNBAPhiladelphiaShaquille ONealSiriusXMThe Stephen ASmith ShowJamesSixers
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