Shaq torches NBA product, says star guard 'needs to be f---ing arrested'

Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal had pugnacious words for Los Angeles Clippers defender Ben Simmons successful a rant against the NBA’s existent product.

O’Neal sounded disconnected connected the crippled successful the latest occurrence of the podcast.

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Shaquille O'Neal arrives connected the reddish carpet earlier the Emirates NBA Cup semifinal crippled astatine T-Mobile Arena successful Las Vegas, Dec. 14, 2024. (Candice Ward-Imagn Images)

"People get mad. It’s conscionable a merchandise of what I’ve seen," the Los Angeles Lakers fable said. "I’ve seen what greatness is, been there, played with them. I don’t spot that each the clip implicit there. So, you privation maine to springiness these mother----rs the aforesaid props you giving them? That s--- volition ne'er happen. You tin telephone it hatred if you want. 

"Even with the connection ‘hate,’ similar these f-----g kids, they similar to propulsion that connection around. If you ain’t f-----g large and I’m great, however the f--- tin I hatred connected you? That don’t marque nary f-----g sense. I’m successful the f-----g building, and you not successful the building, truthful however the f--- tin I hatred connected you?"

O’Neal said helium wants to spot greatness connected the tribunal and lamented that "a batch of these mother---ers can’t play."

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LA Clippers defender Ben Simmons drives past Knicks guardant Precious Achiuwa, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, successful New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

He pointed to Simmons, a three-time All-Star whose vocation has been marred by injuries. He went from averaging 14.3 points per crippled with the Philadelphia 76ers to averaging less than 7 points per crippled with the Brooklyn Nets and present with the Clippers. All of that portion helium averaged astir $35.4 cardinal per twelvemonth successful wage and has earned much than $200 cardinal successful his career.

"Ben f---ing Simmons, that mother---er needs to beryllium arrested. Jayson Tatum tin play. He’s alright. I’m not going to bash him. But Ben Simmons needs to beryllium f-----g arrested. ($250 million) for that bull---- Get the f--- retired of my face. Robbing people, man. You can’t bash that."

The NBA’s existent merchandise has recovered a batch of disapproval implicit the past fewer years. With much teams taking 3-pointers and stars not playing the entirety of the 82-game schedule, fans responded by turning the crippled off.

Ratings were a blistery taxable of speech earlier successful the season. 

Boston Celtics caput manager Joe Mazzulla adjacent said he’d "rather ticker thing else."

Shaquille O'Neal earlier the crippled betwixt the Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks successful the NBA Finals astatine TD Garden successful Boston, June 6, 2024. (David Butler II-USA Today Sports)

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The NBA playoffs are poised to alteration that with superstar endowment successful the moving for a title, including the Lakers and LeBron James.

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