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Shaquille O’Neal Reveals His True Feelings on Jayson Tatum Stealing Celebrations From Kobe Bryant and More
Shaquille O’Neal jumped right into the discussion criticizing Jayson Tatum for allegedly stealing championship celebrations from the former NBA greats after clinching the 2024 NBA title.
Shaquille O’Neal recently shared his perspective on the controversy surrounding Jayson Tatum's championship celebrations, where the young star was criticized for supposedly "stealing" moves from iconic players like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett.
Tatum, who stood at the forefront of the Boston Celtics 2024 NBA Championship run, faced recent rows of criticism for allegedly copying the iconic celebrations from basketball history. While JT moved past the allegations, Shaq joined in and shared his honest feelings on the celebration.
Shaquille O’Neal gets honest on Jayson Tatum Stealing Celebrations From Kobe Bryant & Kevin Garnett.
Shaq adamantly defended Tatum, emphasizing that the imitations were a form of reverence rather than mere mimicry. During The Big Podcast, O’Neal went on to acknowledge Tatum’s state as that of an enthusiastic kid reminiscing the historic championship moments and expressing it out loud.
“I think at that moment, the kid came out... like, as a kid, when you see those championships, you remember those moments,” Shaq said on his podcast.
Drawing from his own experiences as a young basketball fan, Shaq highlighted the significance of honoring the legends who inspired Tatum's journey to the NBA championship. To Shaq, Tatum's actions were a heartfelt tribute to the players who shaped his basketball dreams.
Shaq further added: “As a kid, when you see those championships, you remember those moments. So, for him doing that, I thought it was just him paying homage to all his favorite players.”
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Celtics championship victory was 'the most boring finals' for Shaq
Shaquille O’Neal recently expressed his dismay at the 2023 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks, labeling it as the most uneventful championship series in history.
Attending Games 1 and 2, Shaq highlighted the absence of a captivating storyline or thrilling moments as the primary reasons behind his verdict. Reflecting on his childhood memories of past NBA Finals featuring iconic plays by legends like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Shaq emphasized the significance of narrative and drama in elevating the fan experience.
While admitting lack of anticipation for the Celtics cruising to the NBA Finals, Shaq said, ”It was boring. It was the most boring finals in finals history. The reason why I stated the Finals were boring cause when I was a kid, there was always a story.”
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While some observers may point to the subplot of Kyrie Irving facing his former team, the Boston Celtics, as a potential source of intrigue, Shaquille O’Neal remained unconvinced of its ability to inject the same level of excitement seen in classic matchups of yesteryears.
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