Los Angeles Lakers legend and current NBA analyst Shaquille O’Neal revealed that he’s not going to root for LeBron James and the Lakers.
Instead, O’Neal prefers to support Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry this season.
“I’m not even going anymore,” O’Neal said on “The Big Podcast with Shaq” when asked about the Lakers removing Staples as their arena sponsor.
Nischelle Turner gave O’Neal some push back, saying that he would return, but the big man came back with a shot at the Lakers.
“No, I’m not,” O’Neal said. “Who want to watch them people play?”
The Lakers are off to a slow start in the 2021-22 season, as they are just 13-13 after Thursday night’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
While LeBron James has only played in 14 of the Lakers’ 26 games this season due to injuries and a one-game suspension, O’Neal explained why he’d rather support another team in California this season.
“I don’t celebrate seventh place at all,” O’Neal said. “I celebrate Steph Curry. That’s who I celebrate. I can go to Golden State and watch him play.”
Curry and the Warriors currently hold the NBA’s best record at 21-4 through their first 25 games.
The three-time NBA champion is having an MVP-caliber start to the season, as he is averaging 27.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from beyond the arc.
The Lakers still have plenty of time to turn this season around, but it appears that O’Neal thinks that is a long shot. Los Angeles lost its first matchup of the year against Golden State and will not play the Warriors again this season until Feb. 12 of next year.
