In the 2006 NBA Finals, the Heat trailed 0-2 against the Mavericks and were seemingly about to get swept. Dwyane Wade, who played exceptionally well in the two losses, called out teammate Shaquille O’Neal after his dismal display in Game 2. However, the then-three-time NBA champion flipped the script on the guard, pushing him to produce one of the best Finals performances ever.
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On the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast, Wade revealed that after O’Neal’s horrendous 5-point performance in Game 2, he tried to motivate him to play at the same level he did during the Lakers’ three-peat at the start of the millennium. However, the center pointed to his resume and told him it was his time to step up. The Hall of Famer recalled,
“[Shaq] tried to use a little reverse psychology on me…We’re down 0-2 and Shaq is not playing up to Shaq’s standards… What he did to me is, he just kind of put it on me… So, he put a little fire under me, like, ‘Yo, this is your time. I already got three(rings). What you gon do?’”
O’Neal’s words did the trick. In the next four games, Wade averaged 39.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 steals, leading the Heat to four straight wins and their maiden NBA title. The center’s mind games helped him win his fourth NBA title and he was content playing the supporting role for a change.
Shaquille O’Neal wanted Dwyane Wade to lead the Heat
During his time with the Lakers, O’Neal was the face of the franchise and was tasked with leading the team’s title aspiration. He thrived in that role and won three straight championships between 2000 and 2002.
However, after the three-peat, he and his co-star in LA, Kobe Bryant, butted heads over who gets to be the first option on the team and who’ll be relegated to the supporting role. The Lakers chose the young guard and traded O’Neal to the Heat in 2004.
When the center landed in Miami, he lacked the energy and desire to lead the franchise’s title charge. Instead, he deferred to Wade and demoted himself to a supporting role. In an interview with Graham Bensinger, O’Neal said,
“[When I got to Miami] I’m old, I’m tired and I don’t wanna argue with another guy. Me and Penny [Hardaway] had a little beef. Me and Kobe had a little beef. Maybe I am the a**hole. Let me change this narrative right now. D [Wade], you the man, it’s your city. I can help you win I know what I got to do.”
O’Neal willingly took a back seat and things worked out exactly as he had hoped. His commendable maturity proved to be the key to the Heat’s surprise title-winning run.
