Shaquille O’Neal gives thoughts on being called ‘hater’ by fans: ‘I have seen real greatness’

By David Akerman
Updated: November 23, 2021

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most polarizing figures in basketball history.

He is loved by many for his entertaining personality and his willingness to put others before himself.

As a former player, he likes to give his opinion on today’s game. He has criticized many, which has led lots of people to call him a hater.

The legend recently decided to clear the air regarding his “hater” label.

“A lot of people think I’m a hater or whatever,” said O’Neal on a recent episode of his podcast. “It’s not that I’m a hater. It’s just that I’ve seen real greatness. If you not equal or above that, you get no props from me.”

O’Neal certainly knows what he is talking about when it comes to greatness in basketball. The 49-year-old averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 blocks per game during his lengthy career. He also shot 58.2 percent from the field.

The former first-round pick has a number of accolades to his name, including 15 All-Star appearances, four NBA titles, three NBA Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles and one MVP award.

He is often regarded as one of the best big men to ever play the game of basketball.

O’Neal, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers for the majority of his career, recently spoke about two current Lakers superstars. He called Russell Westbrook a “role player,” and he also said that LeBron James would go down as the best player in basketball history.

Currently, O’Neal works as an analyst for TNT, giving him the chance to constantly talk about today’s NBA.