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“Shaquille O’Neal was the f**king superstar”: Kevin Garnett snubs Kobe Bryant to state that The Diesel was the face of the NBA once Michael Jordan retired

Advait Jajodia
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6'6" Michael Jordan and 7'1" Shaquille O'Neal are the only two NBA players to have ever achieved this historic feat

According to Kevin Garnett, it was Shaquille O’Neal and not Kobe Bryant who was the immediate face of the league once Michael Jordan retired.

Indeed, Michael Jordan did a great job being the face of the NBA during his playing days. Thanks to the Bulls legend’s on-court and off-court successes, the game of basketball became more globally recognized back in the 90s.

Several fans believe that it was Kobe Bryant who took the baton from MJ once His Airness decided to hang up his boots, however, Boston legend Kevin Garnett doesn’t think so.

Also Read: Paul Pierce and Gilbert Arenas slam the Sixers’ star for not changing his ways according to the situation

According to KG, it was Shaquille O’Neal who was the immediate face of the league after the Bulls GOAT.

“Before Shaquille O’Neal, we never had no superstar rhyming and f**king dancing”: Kevin Garnett

Apart from being one of the most dominant figures the game has ever seen, Shaq was one of the most animated characters. The 7-foot-1 legend had a charismatic personality and with his jovial behavior, he made fans love him even more.

According to Garnett, O’Neal was among the first stars in the league to spend time in artistic fields other than basketball. Further explaining why Shaq was the face of the league after Jordan’s departure, Kevin told Kendrick Perkins:

Kendrick Perkins: “Like, was Shaq ever the face of the league?”

Kevin Garnett: “Hell yeah, Shaq was the face of the league. You don’t think Shaq was the face of the league at one point?”

Kendrick Perkins: “Short stint, maybe.”

Kevin Garnett: “Soon as Mike left, it was Diesel… Shaq was the f***ing first superstar. Man, we never had no superstar rhymin and f***ing dancing. Shaq has a platinum album, he sold a million.”

Also Read: When Sonya Curry scolded the 2x MVP for shouting obscenities during the 2018 Western Conference Finals

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,500+ articles.

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