On Wednesday, the Devin Booker-less Phoenix Suns registered a surprise 117-107 overtime win over the reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets on the road. Kevin Durant had a spectacular outing and finished with 35 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. But, while Durant and Allen received their deserved adulation, Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal praised center Bol Bol‘s performance during the halftime show. He said,
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“Listen, Wemby (Victor Wembanyama) is a great player. And again, I said, he’s not the first 7-foot-5 guy we’ve seen do that. Bol Bol was the first. I’ve been seeing this kid since high school. He’s 7’5″, he’s gonna block shots, very active. He can play with a little intention, and doesn’t play lazy, he can be a force. When he wants to play, there’s nobody that can stop him.”
O’Neal added that playing alongside Durant and Bradley Beal will improve Bol’s game and as long as he plays with conviction, he could become a force to be reckoned with. The center played 12.5 minutes against the Nuggets, scored two points, grabbed four rebounds, dished one assist, and blocked one shot. Not bad at all for the limited time he played. That said, O’Neal has backed himself into a corner since comparing Bol Bol to Victor Wembanyama. In a Sports Illustrated interview, he said,
“You guys are acting like Wemby is the first 7-foot-5 player that dribble coast to coast, put it between his legs and shot a three [pointer].[Wembanyama] is not. Bol Bol is the first. I never compared the two. I just said you guys act like you’ve never seen it before, but you have. You’ve seen Bol Bol do it.”
Bol Bol and Wembanyama’s similarities stop at their height. The San Antonio Spurs rookie is an elite talent on either end of the floor. On the other hand, the Suns center is only in the NBA due to the potential his towering stature possesses. The two aren’t comparable skill-wise, despite O’Neal’s insistence. However, the Hall of Famer isn’t one to admit to a mistake. Due to this, he is forced to continue to claim that the two players could be on the same level if Bol Bol works harder.
Shaquille O’Neal recruiting Bol Bol to Reebok
On the latest episode of Complex Sports’ smash hit show Sneaker Shopping with Complex, Hall of Famers and Reebok Basketball’s top executives Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson spoke about the brand’s future. Host Joe La Puma asked the duo if they were recruiting any NBA players to endorse the brand. O’Neal replied,
“We are, but we can’t tell you. Why would I break it? Then they find out and the other competition finds out.”
Merely seconds later, O’Neal ditched the secrecy and claimed they were interested in signing Bol Bol as a brand ambassador. O’Neal’s obsession with the Suns’ star is bizarre. After all, he is already in his fifth year in the NBA and averages just 6.1 points, and 3.7 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game. No team in the league has considered making him a critical part of their rotation.
O’Neal’s pettiness and inability to let go of a bad take is hurting his reputation as an analyst. Christian Wood once called him “a casual,” and he’s proving him right by continuing to hype Bol Bol and suggesting he’s similar to Victor Wembanyama.
