Shaquille O’Neal attended a Big 3 playoff game for the first time recently. To his surprise, he had a great time, as he commended his friend and the league’s commissioner, Ice Cube, for putting on a great show. He even later shared if he’d ever consider playing in the 3-on-3 competitive league.
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It’s not the first time O’Neal has been asked about playing in the Big 3. Some might remember an interview of his from about a year and a half ago, where he hosted one of the league’s star players, Mario Chalmers. The former Miami Heat guard actually tried recruiting Shaq to play on his team when asked if he thought he could hang.
“You think I can play in the Big 3?” O’Neal asked Chalmers on The Big Podcast with Shaq. “Yeah, easily. I got a perfect spot for you, too. Come over here with me and Michael Beasley,” Chalmers responded.
After hearing Beasley’s name, Shaq became interested, mainly because it was a player that he could never guard. He almost seemed tempted to accept the invitation. “Ooo… I thought about it. But I would have to get, like, I just had hip surgery. And I haven’t played since, like, I don’t think I could get back in that mode,” O’Neal said.
It was a relatable moment, as Shaq sounded unsure about making a return to basketball. Don’t we all say something similar when we don’t want to go back and do something we once did? Excuses along the lines of injury, and wondering if we can ever get back to the best version of ourselves.
Yet, it’s not a bad thing for O’Neal to recognize his limits. He is 53 years old. So, nobody is going to question him for not continuing to compete. We’d all love to see it. But it’s most likely not happening any time soon.
“Never. Too old… No, never,” O’Neal stated via Mikey Domagala on YouTube when asked if he’d ever play in the Big 3 league.
Since retiring, Shaq has had multiple surgeries. This included a massive one for his hip, where he got the entire thing replaced. So, it makes sense that he thinks his playing days are over.
That doesn’t mean O’Neal doesn’t support the Big 3 as a product. He once denounced the idea. But when he finally went to an event this past week, he gave kudos to the league’s commissioner.
“I want to apologize to Ice Cube. This is a fabulous event. I can’t believe I’ve never been before,” O’Neal said while being interviewed on CBS.
Now in its 8th season, the Big 3 has been considered a success according to Ice Cube. He recently revealed that the league has seen growth in attendance, viewership, and has, in turn, made a profit. It’s kind of amazing when you think about how basic the league’s organization used to be 8 years ago.
However, it’s a bit disappointing that we won’t ever get to see O’Neal play in the Big 3. He was perhaps the most dominant player in NBA history, and it would be a treat to watch him compete again. But it sounds like injuries have gotten the best of him, like they have for so many athletes who were once great.
