LOL, Hello pot this is the kettle, I've got news for you, you're black. That might be the funniest quote I have ever heard from Shaq.
And Stan Van Gundy's quotes, something his brother should take notes: On the other side of the Yao debate, you have people such as Heat coach Stan Van Gundy, who thinks the Chinese native is special. Van Gundy says that while Yao (18 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.8 blocks per game) isn't a physical player, that doesn't mean he's not a bona fide All-Star. Quote on SVG: "I think people in general judge the guy way too early and way too young, and they take more time than guards for the most part," he said. "There is the occasional great, great, great Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, who can come out of the box and do it, but that's not the norm for big guys. Big guys take longer. "He's already an outstanding player in this league, and he's only going to get better. People want him to do what Shaq does. His game is different than Shaq's. It just is, but they want every big guy to play like Shaq. They're not going to be able to." Van Gundy said Yao should be left alone because he already does something different. Quote: "He shoots the ball, he makes free throws, and I don't understand the criticism," he said. "It's not coming from people in the league, because if he were available, everybody in the world would be out to get him, so let's leave it at that."
The paradox is: most HOF big guys makes impact from the very beginning. vs. The consensus that big guys take a longer time to develop.
stan in right. he may not become one of the best centers of all time but he will get better...he is already one of the top bigmen in the league. we are only a few pieces away from winning the whole thing, and yao is only a few years away from dominating.
As long as Yao's dunks and hooks continue to fall I'll be happy. I remember people used to get on Shaq because all he would do is just dunk. Has his game really changed that much? I see Yao shoot jumpers a lot further out that Shaq ever dreamed. Oh, and Yao can shoot free throws, too. I know Shaq downplays this "rivalry" but I think it means a lot more to him than he admits.
absolutely he and Yao get along very well (Shaq knows Yao's parents) but the media gets under Shaq's skin so much with this that he has to keep dropping those "I am the unstoppable warrior" references
well We in a new era How many Hall of Fame big guys did not play america ball? Most of them did not come Straight from high school either I think in this new era of international ballers and high schoolers. . the idea of immediate impact needs to be tailored down some Rocket River
Everytime Yao vs Shaq I have to hear Shaq whining about being compare with Yao and how he got double triple team and Yao is cover by him man to man only. As a HOF center he is, he should not feel he have to say these things, it sounds Shaq is insecure.
Shaq is just being Shaq he's just mad because he's not in the same class as Hakeem...he's still stuck with David Robinson
You have truly got to be delusional! Go and ask every GM in the league if he would pick Shaq or Hakeem in the NBA draft (assuming they both were in the same one) to build their teams around, and if Shaq is not picked by at least 20-25 og those GMs, then they too are delusional. Look, I understand we are on a Rockets BBS so we are going to be "homers" all the way. But the issue at question here is really not Hakeem v Shaq, but rather Yao v Shaq. I think needless to say, and regardless of their 'head to head' matchups, Yao is not worthy to be mentioned in the same breath as Shaq, and I understand Shaq's reactions as not being insecure, but rather being surprised that people would continue to disrespect him after he has proven himself as not only the greatest center of our generation, but a case could be made for him as the greatest of all time. I would be irate too if some idiot reporter asked me about a so-called "rivalry" with a guy who labors to dominate Brian Grant and Chris Mihm So be a Rockets fan, but have some perspective on reality. But if delusional thought helps any of you sleep better at night, then by all means...
No one can stop Shaq but Yao played him one on one throughout the game and did a pretty good defensive job. He isn't anywhere near Shaq's class but he fought hard against him.
Y. Ming 34 8-14 0-0 6-6 4 9 2 1 1 0 5 22 S. O'Neal 26 6-11 0-0 3-5 1 5 2 3 0 1 5 15 END of Discussion
relax dude . . . Dream dominated on the defensive side and offensive side. He had much more skill than Shaq EVER had or has. Dream's game was poetic and didn't depend on sheer brute force. How many defensive player of the year awards has Shaq won? I think you bought into the whole LA-MTV scene and Shaqfu crap. Maybe you are not old enough to remember Dream's game. (EDIT: I forgot, Dream could hit a damn freethrow -- there's no "Hack-a-Dream")
And Shaq wasn't worthy to be mentioned in the same class as Hakeem when Hakeem was in his prime and Shaq was young. Shaq is a proud, proud man. He wants to be recognized today as the best big man out there. He is. But he knows that Yao is the next big thing just like Hakeem knew that Shaq was the next big thing even though he dominated him. What says the most about how Shaq feels about Yao is the fact that he told TMac to come here and play with Yao because Yao was going to dominate. The funny thing is that today Yao was getting the fronting and the doubling just like he has been all season. Shaq would like everybody to believe that doesn't happen butwe saw the same thing today on Yao that we have seen in every game except the game the Kings decided to let him go one on one and he torched Miller. Shaq knows Yao is gonna be the man in a couple years. He's just enjoying the moment. I don't blame him.
Please, stop saying Hakeem dominated Shaq in his prime. I love Hakeem, but those words are too homerish.
regardless of whether the quotes are right or wrong. gotta love shaq's way with metaphors. i really liked the samurai and shogun quote.
