Shaquille O’Neal was a part of the USA Basketball team in 1994 and 1996. Known for decimating the rim, the Big Diesel was a beast on the inside. However, when it came to sinking shots even 10 feet away from the rim, he wasn’t usually the right man to go to. Yet, a video of him making jump shots with the 1996 USA Basketball team went viral recently, likely due to catching fans by surprise. As he kept practicing his long jumpers after retirement though, Shaq proclaimed himself as the ‘Black Steph Curry’ in his later years.
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Shaq has earned the respect of NBA legends with his rim-breaking dunks and athleticism. His presence on both ends of the court made his opponents quiver. Although it must be noted that while he may be known as the Most Dominant NBA player of all time, his shooting skills were questionable. Despite his monstrous numbers, his free throw percentage was infamously abysmal.
Shaquille O’Neal Shoots From Deep During 1996 Dream Team Training Camp
Shaquille O’Neal was always known for his presence under the rim. He rarely ever took a jump shot, let alone a three-point shot. In his entire NBA career, Shaq made only one three-point shot. However, during a practice with the 1996 Dream Team, Shaq had it going, displaying his entire repertoire, which left all on-lookers beyond awestruck, including his opponent, Scottie Pippen.
In the practice session, The Big Diesel was seen making shots which he wouldn’t even attempt normally. He dribbled the ball in front of his defender in the first possession, making a quick crossover, and a pull-up jumper. The ball went in. In the next possession, he did a quick dribble between the legs, behind the back, a spin move, and took a pull-up hook.
Then, he took the ball farther behind in the next possession, did a quick behind-the-back dribble, and pulled up for a long two-pointer. In the final possession, he attempted a contested three-pointer. Nothing but net! Take a look at his moves in action, in the tweet by the NBA below.
The rest of the players were all cheering for the big man. It was a moment that most wouldn’t have believed happened if it wasn’t captured on camera.
Shaquille O’Neal Proclaims Himself As The Black Steph Curry
During a session with James Hunt in 2017, Shaquille O’Neal laced up his shoes to test out his skills. No bully ball rule was applied to limit Shaq outside the paint. However, they quickly shifted to a three-point contest and Shaq did not disappoint.
Shaq kept on making three-point shots no matter how far they went. He was making shots from 30 feet out displaying his range. Ultimately, after being unable to miss, he proclaimed himself as the ‘Black Steph Curry’.
“Steph Curry! Steph Curry! Black Steph Curry!”
This just goes to show the level of confidence Shaq has when he gets challenged. Once he has a competitive drive, he will win no matter what. This does make it plausible that if Shaq had an outside shot, he would have been the Greatest to Ever play the game. However, as he has admitted on multiple occasions, he is happy with the title of the Most Dominant NBA Player of All Time.
