“Today’s league is not the same as it used to be during the Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley era”: Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal talks about how the modern-day NBA has gotten too sensitive

Lakers’ legend Shaquille O’Neal talks about the league and how’s it changed and how the players have become soft and sensitive

The modern-day NBA is a big community that unites and fights for causes they believe in together. They stand up for what they feel is wrong and stand together for each other. While this may appeal to the youth and the new fans, this does not sit right with the old fans and players alike.

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There are many that claim that the current day NBA has a better quality of players. The players being drafted nowadays are more prepared, more athletic, and more talented. Others argue that the level of competitiveness between players has fallen down, and the NBA of the 80s/90s was far better. Lakers’ legend Shaquille O’Neal is one of the people with the latter ideology. He explained and made a case on the Full Send podcast.

Shaquille O’Neal explains why the old NBA used to be better than the modern NBA

Shaquille O’Neal entered the league in 1992. He first hand witnessed the Dream Team, Michael Jordan and the Bulls, and greats like Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon. He retired in 2011, and has been an analyst on TNT for quite some time now. During that, he’s witnessed all the talent entering the NBA. However, he feels that the current day NBA is nowhere as good as the older generation.

He explained his take, and said,

“Very. Very sensitive, very soft, very political. And I hate this term. But people say this is the era we live in, so we have to accept it. I’ve been through the era of Mike, Charles, Malone, Stockton, all these great guys, so I know what greatness looks like. I said something about Donovan Mitchell one time and everybody start bashing me. But they not listening to what I’m saying. He is a really good player, on his way. But to try to crown him as the next…If I’m not number 1 or number 2, don’t bring my name up ever,”

Shaq talking about the term great being thrown around on the Full Send Podcast.

“I played with Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant, D Wade, LeBron James, Steve Nash, and if you ain’t on that level, I don’t know what great is.” pic.twitter.com/3V45KFJlld

— Evan📍 (@Coby_Buckets) August 26, 2021

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Shaq does make a valid point. When he talked about Donovan Mitchell, a lot of people took a dig at him. However, sensitivity is what is needed currently. The fans have changed too, and the players have adapted accordingly. We can’t blame a generation of players wanting to cater to their fans.