The four-time NBA champion speaks with Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill about the New Orleans Pelicans forward – including his recent game-ending dunk against the Phoenix Suns.
Video Transcript
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VINCENT GOODWILL: Zion Williamson in New Orleans. What do you see out of him, especially after him missing all of last season, the way that he’s playing? Shaq, I think he’s a combination of you and a baby Barkley, with how explosive he is and powerful he is.
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL: He’s probably a little bit more explosive than I was. But he– listen, he’s playing great. He’s doing what he’s supposed to do. They’re number one in the West.
I like what he did the other day. 0.1 second. I don’t care. I’m going to throw it down for the fans. Phoenix got mad and then they still whooped them again. I like the way he’s playing. I wish him well. I have nothing bad to say about young fella.
Usually I give a guy three or four years, but look, he plays hard every game. A lot of guys talking about his size. I know that conversation. They want all big guys to be skinny. But look, when you’re a big guy and you can move like that, do what you do. And he’s putting up numbers. He’s playing well. So I wish young fella well.
VINCENT GOODWILL: Were you surprised, Shaq, that Phoenix, Chris Paul and all those guys took offense to Zion doing that in the final seconds of the game?
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL: I guess it’s supposed to be like an unwritten rule, but I don’t know. I mean–
VINCENT GOODWILL: You got G19 classified?
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL: Yeah, but I don’t look at silly rules. I only look up rules that are current. But listen, if I was on the team, just put it this way. Zion wants all the smoke. He wants to all the smoke. He did it. You’re supposed to be mad about it. You’re supposed to do something about it. Y’all ain’t doing nothing about it. Zion gave you another 30, so hey, either he’s taking over or like I said, he wants all the smoke.
But I don’t– listen, NBA’s stands for Nothing But Actors. You know, guys don’t push and all that. But a lot of guys don’t want to lose that fine money. There’s only a few of us that didn’t care about that fine money.
VINCENT GOODWILL: Shaq, you’re right about– look, nobody– you didn’t fight nobody. You know what I mean? So I know people don’t want to fight if you weren’t out here fighting. So I’m 100% with you. It’s a lot of barking.
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL: I was trying to fight. That’s why a lot of these NBA players, they love Uncle Jerome, because Jerome saved their ass.
[LAUGHTER]
Uncle Jerome saved your ass.
[LAUGHTER]
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