Basketball

“LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and the rest of them had 8% body fat”: Former NBA Superstar Jermaine O’Neal explains why he left the Miami Heat when the ‘Big 3’ was formed

Nithin Joseph
|Published May 21, 2022

LeBron James is one of the healthiest athletes in the world. Seeing how fit The King is was what made Jermaine O’Neal part ways with the Heat.

In 2010, the Miami Heat pulled off the biggest coup d’etat in NBA history. They convinced LeBron James to bring his talents to South Beach, joining forces with good friend Dwayne Wade.

Alongside D-Wade and Chris Bosh who was also signed in free agency, the three superstars came to be known as the ‘Big 3’.

They dominated the Eastern Conference, making it to four straight NBA Finals. LeBron and company would win two rings but fell short in his first and last seasons there. Nevertheless, it was a successful spell for King James!

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Also Read: “LeBron James spent ONLY $2000 of his $90 million Nike contract!”: How The King spent his first ever Nike endorsement check as an 18-year-old

The four-time champion had an exceptional run in Miami. It’s hard imagining any player not wanting to have been a part of such an amazing team.

Jermaine O’Neal left the Miami Heat because he knew he couldn’t keep up with the fitness of LeBron James

The Big 3 truly was a force to be reckoned with. Their dominance wasn’t just limited to their conference but throughout the entire league. This was thanks in part to the incredible fitness levels of LeBron James and co.

In fact, this was the primary reason why then Heat veteran Jermaine O’Neal decided to leave Miami, just as James, Bosh, and D-Wade were teaming up.

O’Neal revealed that he had reached an age where he could not debate whether or not he wanted to eat an Oreo, and as such decided to leave!

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Also Read: “LeBron James has done great, but the only thing Michael Jordan ever did was win”: When Shawn Kemp picked the Bulls superstar over The King in the GOAT debate

Everybody knows when they have reached their limit, and for Jermaine O’Neal, it was when he walked into the pantry and decided he wanted a snack.

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About the author

Nithin Joseph

Nithin is a content writer at The SportsRush. Like his favorite athlete Kobe Bryant, the company has helped Nithin elevate his writing skills to a whole new level, especially as an NBA content writer. With over 1500 articles to his name, Nithin's love for the sport knows no bounds. And, as he continues to watch the sport on a daily basis, he hopes his fascination with the NBA, especially the Miami Heat will inspire more and more readers to give the sport a chance. Perhaps, one day making basketball in India as big as it is in the United States.