Shaquille O’Neal: Steve Nash Didn’t Deserve Two MVPs

In his first year as a talking head, Shaquille O’Neal has struggled to translate his outsized personality onto the television screen. What the retired big man hasn’t had any trouble with, however, is the ability to give amazing interviews.

Shaq spoke candidly with Vibe Magazine about a number of subjects, and here are some choice quotes about former teammate Steve Nash and the rivalry with the Sacramento Kings:

VIBE: Some sportswriters think you underachieved because you only won one MVP. Shaq: “Steve Nash is my boy, but I don’t see how the fuck he got it twice. I was taught never to complain because you can’t beat the system. People know who the real dominant guy was. But Steve Nash, I don’t want to say it because you might print it and it might cause problems. I don’t believe he beat me out twice.”

Was there genuine animosity between the Lakers and the 2002 Kings?

“It wasn’t, but I created it. I know how to get you to watch me. Okay, Sacramento is coming up and it’s already a big game, ‘Fuck them, the Sacramento Queens.’ And now everyone is talking about that. [...] The trash talk against Sacramento worked. Peja Stojakovic and Doug Christie missed open three’s down the stretch. “They were shook. Pressure busts pipes. Most of those guys were playing because of C-Webb’s balls. C-Webb had balls and White Chocolate [Jason Williams] had balls. [Writer’s Note: Williams was traded from Sacramento before the 2001–02 season, and didn’t play in that series.] Divac ain’t got no balls. Doug Christie damn sure ain’t got no balls. I would look at them during the national anthem. I could see in their eyes if they were scared. I would see Doug Christie looking and doing the thing [ﬂashing hand signals] to his wife. I would make eye contact with Divac, and he looked down. And I was like, ‘Okay, I got him.’ C-Webb would try to look hard, but it didn’t work because his other puppies didn’t play well.”

Shaquille O’Neal also criticizes his work on NBATV and TNT (giving himself only a C-minus), his relationship with Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers management, Pat Riley and his NBA legacy. It’s a very entertaining read.

Shaq should be allowed to swear on television. I’m convinced this would make him infinitely better as an analyst.

(H/T: Deadspin)

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Tags: Boston Celtics, Dwight Howard, Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Pat Riley, Phoenix Suns, Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Nash, TNT

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http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

Philo, quit taking the easy way out and give us a definite estimation on where Billups ranks in your book, none of that top-50 crap.
ARobertson/Moncrief were both 2-guards. If we were talking strictly defense, they would be in the Top-5 in terms of SG but overrall, they are around 22-24 for me.
It’s a little bit harder to rank a guy like Goodrich because at times he played both the 1 and 2.
http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

While I was discrediting an opinion on Billups, I had Pistol Pete as a point guard. He played some point during his NBA career.
http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

JT21:
I will say this;
Billups damned sure is not a top 15 talent.
Top 20, either.
If I throw a random number out there, I’d say 40.
Admittedly, I’d have to give it more thought. As I type this, now I’m thinking 45, maybe.
http://slamonline.com nbk

My thing about Robertson and Moncrief (and Goodrich) is that they did play entire seasons as their teams PG. And they did their most defensive damage in those years. For Example, Robertson in San Antonio played a TON of PG. Moncrief played like a hybrid 1-2 next to Paul Pressey. Never really knew how to categorize him.
http://www.kb24.com The Seed

Please Billups is not even in my top 35, maybe 40. Billups is more overrated than Steve Nash. He is still living off 3 good years as the Pistons point guard. Also there is a reason Pistons didn’t want him anymore. BOOK IT!!
http://slamonline.com LakeShow

I booked mine. Everyone else book theirs?
http://sajkfldl.com Jukai

Kinda agree.
BlackNicholson

06 was Kobe’s MVP, the NBA didn’t want to have an accused rapist as their MVP. Point blank period…
xx_JOMMOMA_xx

nash could average 28 a night
but he chooses to make chumps look like champs
thats an MVP

chauncey is done they proved in new york he is a defensive liability
http://Slamonline.com nbk

The NBA doesn’t give MVP to player’s on crappy teams.
Joe Black

Shaq has been a bitter immature trouble making punk since high school and throughout his entire career. Shaq shows major emotional issues and psychogical problems. Not uncommon for abused children later in life. Shaq says his dad beat him when he was little.

He has had everything in life handed to him on a protected platter every since his 8th grade growth spurt. Hence, he has not learned a damn thing, and no doubt he won’t seek the help he needs to deal w/ his obvious problems.

No surprise he continues his whiny crap after retirement. Nash won those MVP’s due to the fact that he possesses qualities that Shaq never did. Hard work and developed skills not restricted by pure laziness, a demented psyche and total dependence on the body he was born with.

Shaq has always displayed the intellect of a dung beetle. While accusing that missed shots down the stretch defines one as having no balls and can’t handle pressure, he forgets that he had to be benched at the end of every tight game because he couldn’t make “free shots” w/ no one guarding him.

Shaq is just too ignorant to have any clue that the people telling him what to say in interviews are making him the absolute benighted fool.
Rainman

Shaq is probably the biggest douche in sports, basketball at least, during that early 00 era.

Compleeeeeeeeetely disagree about ur Nash stance, and we all know the only reason the Kings never beat the Lakers were because of the Refs..
http://sajkfldl.com Jukai

OH! OH! LISTS!
Magic
Oscar
Zeke
Stockton
Kidd
Frazier
Payton
Cousy
Archibald
Nash
KJ
DJ
hmm… gets hard from here… I’ll come back later..
Rainman

and Againnnnnnnn( i dont get tired of this lol) The Seed looks like a jackass with his gripe about Nash. BOOK IT!
manu

Revised list

1 magic
2 isiah

Everybody else
tonyknorr

at this point I am convinced that SEED is a chat bot designed solely to piss off intelligent basketball fans because no human would consistently make such an ass out of themselves the way SEED seems to.
http://www.facebook.com/joe.l.brewer3 BlackPhantom

Magic
Oscar
Zeke
Stockton
Kidd
Frazier
Archibald
Payton
Cousy
Nash
DJ
KJ

Honorable mention to Pistol Pete, even though he played 2 mostly if I’m not mistaken.
jim buss sux!

most season MVP awards were given to the the capt. of the team that has the best regular season record. PERIOD. but i think when kobe won the award in 08, i think the celts have the better record, but because they have the big 3. in 08 the fave MVP was cp3 bcause they have a better record in mid season, but the lakers at the end of the regular season finished with the better record over NOH with the help of Gasol.
jim buss sux!

reg. season MVPs were awarded to the players who led their team with the best record in the regular season. nash led the suns with bak2bak 60+ wins that’s why he won bak2bak mvps. PERIOD!
jags

reg. season MVPs were awarded to the players who led their team with the best record in the regular season. nash led the suns with bak2bak 60+ wins that’s why he won bak2bak mvps. PERIOD!
tavoris

Nash outplayed his own career (statistically) up to that point, which won him those MVP’s.

Shaq was so damn good (in his prime), that he put himself out of the running by forcing EVERY team to adjust their rosters to battle him 3-4 times a year.

Shaq was a legit MVP candidate every year he played over 60 games for that reason alone.

Unfortunately, the MVP isn’t always the best player in the NBA, or else Jordan would have had 10 of them.
Da-Meat-Hook

Nash’s stroke, vision, and longevity are things of beauty. But anyone who puts him in their top 8 pgs of all time place NO emphasis on defense whatsoever! I thought that’s why we love our MJ’s, our Duncan’s, and our KGs. Because damn near every night, they got theirs on offense, and absolutely DOMINATED the game on the defensive end. Same can be said for Lebron and a younger Kobe. Even though Nash was an absolute BEAST on offense, his defense was consistently mediocre at best. I’d take a player that was an all-star on offense and an “All-World” on defense, like Gary Payton all day every day.
Steven

SHAQ ISNT A GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYER. The one only reason he was so good was because of how big and tall he his. It doesnt require much skill to dunk when and post up players when your that big and tall. Just remeber the HACK-A-SHAQ term made up because he couldnt even shoot.

NASH has better skills, he actually has to try hard on everything because of his size
http://www.google.com/news BETCATS

This conversation about Nash happens every year and I still don’t get it. He has the MVPs, he will never return them. While race defiantly was a factor in the voting (Iverson had an equally deserving season the first time, Kobe was unstoppable the second time), race is also a factor in why we keep hearing about it. Because Nash was white that will always cause more resentment to the fact he wasn’t arguably the most deserving.
http://obsessioncollection.wordpress.com grgeblck

you see, when he is out of the league, he needs other incomes. so he needs to say all these crap to get people’s attention. way to go, shaq.
JB

TNT, please fire shaq
http://wikipedia.org Eddie1

Inside the NBA has been so hard to watch since Shaq started. And y’all were clownin how he’d be lightyears better than Chris Webber. Right… I knew his humor wouldn’t work. Get the big aristotle some subtitles.
http://Slamonline.com Mars

Someone needs to hack Shaq. Oh yeah Shaq Daddy make a free throw to save doctor phil but cant save face on a former teammate geez. Hater. Only one person can get the MVP. JKidd, GHill, VC, GP…great players have been robbed before.
http://www.kb24.com The Seed

^^^Check my posts, I told everyone Shaqs basketball knowledge is worst than most people who watch basketball. Cwebb had insight on the game and TNT brought him back for All Star game. Like I stated Shaq is just trying to be a big Kevin Hart personality. Also Kevin Hart went overboard at the celebrity game. No over thirty year old man needs to act like a buffoon for laughs. Shaq comment after someone makes a shots in highlights, makes you want to break your TV. Also he is sucking up to Kobe to much on the TNT set, stating the Black Mamba, most dangerous snake. I am glad people are finally seeing him as the dumby he is. If Shaq was the so called leader or big brother to the other lakers he states now on the TNT set, him and Kobe would have eight rings together. Shaq leading for four rings and Kobe leading for four rings. I can’t stand Shaq dumb since, TNT messed up. I rather listen to Magic broken English than Shaq acting like he knows basketball. BOOK IT!!
Otis

Look at that photo, though. Just look at it. Look at the natural gifts Shaquille had when he came into the league – size, athleticism, uncanny agility for a man that big. He had it all. And look at Nash – small in NBA terms, slight, not blessed with anything like Shaq’s ability to simply bulldoze the best basketballers in the world out of his way. Shaq could have been the best ever, but he was lazy – too lazy to practice free throws, too lazy to stay in shape, too lazy to be what he could have been. Nash has maximised his talent and then transcended it. And here they are, Nash still in the league, Shaq retired and bitter. Shaq shouldn’t complain – he has the championships, after all – while Nash has his MVPs and no rings. But I know who I respect more.
http://sajkfldl.com Jukai

You know what the worst part is? Shaq actually isn’t bad on NBATV, and I don’t know why he’s so forced and so unfunny on TNT. I just don’t think he meshes well with Charles and Kenny.
Jerome

Nash won MVP’S because he made everyone around him exceedingly better. While simultaneously scoring whenever anyone cheated off his underathletic, white a$$. Best pick’n'roll shooter of all time.
Golakeshow

Steve Nash is better than you shaq
http://slamonline house

I reckon Nash deserved his 2 MVP’s not only because he made his teammates consistently better year in year out but also because of his demeanor on and off the court.
Justin G.

Some interesting reading to say the least. I’ll give a list too:

Magic
Oscar (not really a straight PG but I’ll put him in)
Stockton
Isiah
Kidd
Frazier
Nash
Archibald
Payton
Cousy

I honestly don’t know why you guys have Payton up so high. All he did better than Nash was play defense. He was not a better passer, playmaker, shooter, free throw shooter, scorer…exactly what is it then that makes Payton better?

As for Lebron supposedly earning the MVP with his 30/7/7 season, Michael Jordan averaged 32.5/8/8 in the 88/89 season and lost to Magic Johnson. Just sayin’

And once again, stats don’t tell the whole story. I know a lot of guys like nbk and JTaylor like to use stats to back up their claims and arguements but stats don’t tell the whole story for a guy like Nash. It’s what he did to make the players around him so much better. I REALLY wish people would stop with the “it was the system he played in” BS too. Magic played in an uptempo style with Hall of Famers around him but nobody talks about his numbers being inflated because of it. Why does Magic get a pass for it but Nash doesn’t? And the one thing that everyone (except for Paul H) seems to forget is that the MVP is for the REGULAR SEASON! It has nothing to do with playoff performances. See Dirk Nowitzki as a prime example
Jimmy

Peja and Christie missed open 3′s down the stretch, but didn’t Kobe miss a layup and Shaq miss an open put back before Robert Horry saved their ass?
Jimmy

@Justin “all he did better than Nash was play defense”???? Really? Thats okay, since defense is the most important part of the sport. Payton: 1 ring, Nash: 0 rings.
Yesse

Lol. Shaq is just mad, because he was number 2 on the MVP race back then.
STEVE

It is hard work making some thing this pretty look like a chump. Or a geek.
http://sajkfldl.com Jukai

Anyone see Oscar in his Milwaukee days? Easiest footage to get of him, and also proof he easily could play a true point guard.
@Justin: Honestly? The ring makes Payton better. Same with Archibald. You know my feelings about Phoenix being the real champs in 2007, but them the ropes. Archibald and Payton were contributors on championship teams. Yes, without Payton’s clutch buckets, Miami would have lost to Dallas. It is what puts them ahead with little argument you can make.
Dungeon Family

I’m so Glad people finally seeing That SHAQ was the Main problem

Every Team He leave he S**t on em and the players

He just one Big ass jealous Person
ab40

Yeah Shaq deserved mvp in 05 and Kobe, Nash or Lebron in 06.
Dan

sounds like shaq is jealous n sour BUT nash really didnt deserve it twice. totally true that he wouldnt have earned it only once if he was a black tattooed guy. they wouldve said “amazing player but we cant hand smbdy the mvp with that lack of defense”
hoops

nash deserves it…. he’s a true point guard making his teammates better.. Nash is the tru definition of a point guard… point guard is a point not a shooting one…. look at Marcin…. what can u say about it @The seed…. Nash one of the most effective in pick and roll palys… His pass was dominating…
Justin G.

Jukai, that might be one of the dumbest arguments I’ve ever heard in my life. Championship rings is the absolute most ridiculous way to sum up how good a player was when comparing players. By your rationale, Gary Payton and Archibald were better point guards than John Stockton right? I mean hey, they won championships. And calling Gary Payton a contributor on that Miami team is quite a stretch. He may have hit a couple of shots but he was a 37 year old guard scoring 7.7 points a game. I guess Robert Horry is better than Michael Jordan because he has more rings. Steve Kerr is the greatest champion since the Bill Russell Celtics because he was the first player since then to win 4 straight. Sorry but if there’s anyone that has “little argument” my friend, it’s you. Gary Payton was not a better point guard than Steve Nash
i_ball

Divac played ball while the US were bombing the city he was in. Sure he has no balls.
Donatello

I am not gonna start to discuss nash and his mvps but id like to point out that the kings GOT balls and destroyed shaq’s lakers easily until the refs started to screw up the series and handed the win over to la
Justin G.

i_ball, how does that show Divac had balls? Was he flopping all over the court as a tribute to his fallen brethren back home?
i_ball

Justin G, if you go to practice and bombs are flying all over the place you have balls period. A lot of guys flop… The first example that comes to mind is Paul Pierce in the wheelchair. What do you think about him then?
http://slamonline.com Allenp

When you’re comparing all-time greats, special credence has to be given to rings when many other things are equal. That’s why rings are important. Stockton was so much better than everybody else beneath him (with the exception of Frazier) that his lack of rings doesn’t deduct enough points for him to drop very far.
Payton didn’t just “Play defense.” He was elite. For years he was hands down the best point guard in the League when cats like Penny, Jason Kidd and Stockton were hooping.
He was a better “scorer” than Nash because he had a scorer’s mentality. He wasn’t on Nash’s level as a passer. He was clearly just as much of a leader since he went to the Finals with a less talented team in a more talented League. And his defense was so offense he hounded Jordan to the worst three game stretch of his playoff career.
Basically, if you go down the checklist, the slight advantages that Nash had over Payton in some categories in no way compare to the MASSIVE advantage Payton had in one. If you can’t see that, it’s because you don’t want to.

Shaquille O’Neal: Steve Nash Didn’t Deserve Two MVPs

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