Shaquille O'Neal rips modern NBA players:These guys now, they're pudding pops'

[MattMiller]

Shaquille O'Neal rips modern NBA players for failing to take criticism: 'These guys now, they're pudding pops'

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/s...-pudding-pops/

I could not agree more, bunch of whiners who could not survive one day with 80's-90's teams... Can you imagine? Bill L, Dennis Rodman, Charles? Etc... would be hilarious to watch them get bowled over talking a flop...

[Vinny1984]

Completely disagree. Today’s players are smarter and use gamesmanship as part of their game. Not saying flopping is right but why wouldn’t they do it if it gives them a distinct advantage? The officiating is a lot tighter but theres no difference in perceived “toughness” from players 50, 25, or 5 years ago.

Shaq is your stereotypical “old guy” who can’t handle the fact that new guys are good at what they do. I used to be a Shaq fan but his attention seeking nonsense has turned me off.

[Hail2TheVictors]

Originally Posted by Vinny1984

I used to be a Shaq fan but his attention seeking nonsense has turned me off.

He’s sharing his opinion

[mc1]

Shaq wasnt perfect either. The Lakers should have won 8 in row.

He was a fatass that couldnt shoot free throws.

[Archangel1775]

Shaq would put half these guys on the injury report. But yeah, flopping is against the rules now and they still do it. The NBA is finally cracking down on it somewhat. NBA players today watching too much futbol.

[sethc1020]

Originally Posted by mc1

Shaq wasnt perfect either. The Lakers should have won 8 in row.

He was a fatass that couldnt shoot free throws.

No he couldn't hit free throws but most true big men can't. He was/is the most dominate player to ever play in the NBA. There's not a single player in the history of basketball that could even pretend to stop him. Thats why the Hack a Shaq came into play, there was no other option. He was also the most fouled player in the history of the game but most of them were never called because of his size.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by sethc1020

No he couldn't hit free throws but most true big men can't. But he was/is the most dominate player to ever play in the NBA. There's not a single player in the history of basketball that could even pretend to stop him. Thats why the Hack a Shaq came into play, there was no other option. He was also the most fouled player in the history of the game but most of them were never called because of his size.

He couldnt keep himself in shape and that was a reason why Kobe couldnt stand him. Lazy.

[Vinny1984]

Originally Posted by Hail2TheVictors

He’s sharing his opinion

An opinion is a thought to bring up healthy conversation. Or should be. This is an attack. He continually comes off as incredibly insecure.

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by sethc1020

No he couldn't hit free throws but most true big men can't. But he was/is the most dominate player to ever play in the NBA. There's not a single player in the history of basketball that could even pretend to stop him. Thats why the Hack a Shaq came into play, there was no other option. He was also the most fouled player in the history of the game but most of them were never called because of his size.

True, he was probably also the player that got away with the most offensive fouls in the history of the game. Refs often stated that he was the most difficult player to call during the game. So much contact both ways on most plays. He was just so big and impossible to move from his spot. My biggest gripe with him through the years is that he never really became a "skilled" big man. He got better passing, but he never opened up his offensive games outside of dunks and short range put backs. I guess if you score as much as he did, he never really had to.

[sebreg]

Originally Posted by Vinny1984

An opinion is a thought to bring up healthy conversation. Or should be. This is an attack. He continually comes off as incredibly insecure.

Shaq's pettiness and insecurity for a guy of his stature is hilarious. I also find it funny that his paper-thin skin is criticizing players for being unable to take criticism. Glass houses and all that. Maybe it's part of his self-mocking comedy routine, playing the most unaware and self-deluded character he can for laughs.

[MattMiller]

I think we should rank the top current 'pudding pops', at the top of my list would be Lebron, Luka

[rhigh2390]

Don't know how people act like today's players aren't "pudding pops".... It's just the league now. Isn't this common knowledge? It's still fun to watch basketball.

[letsgocapitals]

Players are bi-products of the rules and the way the game is called. It's that simple.

I'll also add that Shaq, and his teammates, used to constantly complain about how much he was fouled.

[sebreg]

Originally Posted by MattMiller

I think we should rank the top current 'pudding pops', at the top of my list would be Lebron, Luka

I am a huge fan of both, but have to say the amount of whining for foul-calls is really tiresome...

[patchgenie]

harden for sure

[sethc1020]

Originally Posted by Scottish Punk

True, he was probably also the player that got away with the most offensive fouls in the history of the game. Refs often stated that he was the most difficult player to call during the game. So much contact both ways on most plays. He was just so big and impossible to move from his spot. My biggest gripe with him through the years is that he never really became a "skilled" big man. He got better passing, but he never opened up his offensive games outside of dunks and short range put backs. I guess if you score as much as he did, he never really had to.

This is true and he was the most difficult to ref because of his size. The "offensive" fouls he got away with were only fouls simply because there was no one else even close his size on the court so any move he made where there was contact it was dramatically amplified. He didn't have to become s "skilled" big man because he unstoppable down low. But I have to say there wasn't anything much better than watching him get a rebound and taking the ball all the way down the court. That stuff was Great!

[montej1695]

It's like this across the board with every sport.

When you have every call analyzed and reviewed its natural for that to cascade down to the player level.

[sebreg]

Originally Posted by TSonn

This is probably worth a ban, right?

I'm not a LeBron James fan, but he would've destroyed those Pistons. LeBron is built like a tank if he was allowed to hit like they did he would've utterly destroyed them physically and mentally.

The argument that the current NBA is a bunch of crybabies is a tired one and often people don't understand that if you put all the big stars now back in the 80s then they would've been the ones being physical because the rules allowed it and they are bigger and better than those guys. Guys like LeBron, Giannis, Harden, etc would do way more damage than Rick Mahorn, John Salley, and Bill Lambeer lol.

Shaq knows this but prefers to keep a "tough" image by putting down the modern players.

I think people just have that things were better back in my day mentality. Which is slightly toxic because then you never enjoy the contemporary thing. Funny that Lebron was a 270lb freight train but he couldn't play against the Pistons? hehe, that's funny. Harden is also strong af...

People forget there was a lot of tissue paper defense in the 80s, the transition D was absolute garbage and the scoring rates were very high. And look at the players and their builds between then and now, weight lifting really only took in the 90s for bball players...

Honestly, I'm not even sure if Shaq watches the games. His takes are so beyond superficial, I don't think I've ever really "learned" anything from him or his "analysis" of the game. It would maybe be smarter for TNT to actually have guys commenting on this stuff that actually like the product, not guys who continually find ways to trash it.

[Vinny1984]

Originally Posted by TSonn

The argument that the current NBA is a bunch of crybabies is a tired one and often people don't understand that if you put all the big stars now back in the 80s then they would've been the ones being physical because the rules allowed it and they are bigger and better than those guys. Guys like LeBron, Giannis, Harden, etc would do way more damage than Rick Mahorn, John Salley, and Bill Lambeer lol. Shaq knows this but prefers to keep a "tough" image by putting down the modern players.

Agreed. Today’s players are were basically created in a lab. Have you ever seen a current NBA player in person? Humans shouldn’t look like that. These aren’t the days of John Stockton and Steve Nash anymore.

Also, I think that a lot of opinions are based on the media coverage around the 80s and 90s. A lot of newcomers to the sport weren’t around to truly comprehend what the NBA looked like back then. They watch The Last Dance and think every game was played like that. You could do a one minute highlight reel of last night and it would look the same if that’s the agenda.

[oldgoldy97]

Shaq isn’t buying any modern. He’s a h8er.

[Schmoove]

I can't wait until 20 years from now when Draymond Green is on a radio show somewhere telling the host hos NBA players of the 2040's are soft and nothing like they were back in his day.

[GeechQuest]

Only a handful of players in today's game have that "tough" personality:

Harden, Lebron, Kyrie, Durant, Jimmy Butler.

Pretty much everybody else is soft. Steph goes on Ellen and cooks. KAT and Wiggins want to play video games all off season. Ja recently requested a hoveround to move through the Memphis streets.

[sebreg]

Originally Posted by oldgoldy97

Shaq isn’t buying any modern. He’s a h8er.

Trying to tank modern so he can buy-in cheap. *taps head* Smart.

[sethc1020]

Originally Posted by sebreg

Trying to tank modern so he can buy-in cheap. *taps head* Smart.

[Noles939913]

Originally Posted by sebreg

I think people just have that things were better back in my day mentality. Which is slightly toxic because then you never enjoy the contemporary thing. Funny that Lebron was a 270lb freight train but he couldn't play against the Pistons? hehe, that's funny. Harden is also strong af...

People forget there was a lot of tissue paper defense in the 80s, the transition D was absolute garbage and the scoring rates were very high. And look at the players and their builds between then and now, weight lifting really only took in the 90s for bball players...

Honestly, I'm not even sure if Shaq watches the games. His takes are so beyond superficial, I don't think I've ever really "learned" anything from him or his "analysis" of the game. It would maybe be smarter for TNT to actually have guys commenting on this stuff that actually like the product, not guys who continually find ways to trash it.

Just because you’re a “270 pound freight train” doesn’t mean you’re tough or have the mentality to be tough.