In his heyday, Shaquille O’Neal’s massive frame was a nightmare for defenders. However, the downside was that he lost his agility and suffered leg injuries. Phil Jackson wanted his center to keep his enormous size intact. So the head coach conjured a plan to help O’Neal stay healthy, which Kevin Garnett revealed on the Bill Simmons podcast.
Advertisement
The Boston Celtics icon recalled that in the early part of his career, the Lakers superstar would get worn out by the time the playoffs rolled about due to the physical punishment he endured in the paint on a nightly basis. To help deal with the physicality, Jackson advised O’Neal to add intensive weight training to his workout regime.
Since most defenders played extra physically against the center, having a stronger physique would help him negate the effect of the hits. For Garnett, this transformation was akin to Michael Jordan’s transforming from skinny and nimble to strong and muscular in 1991 to cope with the physicality of the Bad Boys Detroit Pistons.
The Celtics icon claimed that Kobe Bryant pushed O’Neal to get leaner. But he refused as he found it easier to overwhelm defenders when he was heavier. Explaining how Jackson played a huge role in the center’s physical transformation, Kevin Garnett explained,
“Phil Jackson gave Shaq a formula because he was wearing down in the playoffs. He wanted him to build up, we call it ‘build up to get beat down’. So when you lift weights, this is why Michael Jordan started lifting weights. Because the physical aspects of the game is so bearing that you are getting your a** kicked every night getting hit, you have to lift.”
Garnett shared the clip from the podcast on his Instagram stories, and captioned it,
“Sometimes you have to teach a MF something. Shout to the Diesel.”
Kevin Garnett shares some of the secrets behind Shaq's dominance pic.twitter.com/u3nPhQrzfw
— Ballerz Worldwide (@ballaznba) July 19, 2024
Garnett’s breakdown was seemingly spot on as O’Neal gave it a virtual nod of approval.
O’Neal approves of Garnett’s revelation about his weight training
O’Neal also shared the clip from the Bill Simmons podcast on his Instagram stories. Garnett revealing that the center’s hefty frame was by design and not laziness is quite stunning.
The three-time Finals MVP was often criticized for his near-400-pound frame, with many accusing him of having a poor work ethic. O’Neal shut out the criticism but couldn’t after he was traded to the Heat in 2004.
Head coach Pat Riley badgered O’Neal to get leaner. According to the center, losing weight after joining the Heat made him more susceptible to injuries as his body could no longer absorb the hits he was subjected to on a nightly basis. It seems like Jackson had a better idea about what’s best for O’Neal than Riley did.
