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Shaq on Shaq O'Neal talks of life on and off the court
Posted: Friday June 16, 2000 05:49 PM
On Shaq I am unstoppable; the system is the only thing that can stop me. There are great players, and there are great teams. I'll probably be in the great-player category, but I don't think I've played on a great team yet. The Lakers I think this year I'm on a pretty good team that could turn into a great team. So once I get one of those championship balls in my house, then I'll consider myself great. Coach Phil Jackson Phil doesn't really have to do a whole lot because of his résumé. We all know who he is and what he's done and what he's capable of doing. He's very hard-nosed, very honest, and he keeps you on your toes. That's probably what I need in my life, and I'm glad he's around. We're probably going to end our careers together. Jackson and da Bulls He [Jackson] talks about the Bulls teams. What the Bulls did that we don't do right now is they were real proficient with their offense. They did the same thing every time. It took them seven years to do it, and this is only our first year. We're doing OK, but they did it every time. Do the math It's simple mathematics. I'm the type of player who demands a double- and triple-team, so if I have two and three guys on me, then two or three of my teammates are open, and I like feeding Glen Rice for the 3 or feeding Kobe [Bryant] or feeding Rick [Fox]. That's what it's going to take: everybody being involved. The challenge I don't have to be challenged. I'm a disciplined soldier. I'm the son of a military drill sergeant. I've received a lot of accolades in my career, and I've done a lot for a seventh-year player, but it would be nice to get one of those [championship] balls in my crib. Getting defensive I can play defense this year. Last year I couldn't play defense because of my abdominal injury. I really couldn't stretch that much. I could score and do all the stuff, but I really couldn't stretch and reach out and try to block shots. But this year I'm injury free. Shooting free throws I'll probably never shoot 80 or 90 percent, because I'm not a shooter, I've never been a shooter. I think what's going on now is I'm just saying to myself, "Hit them all now." Usually in regular games I don't say that until the third or fourth quarter. I'm like "OK, I need to hit them now." Take note To listen to music, you have to have rhythm, and when you have rhythm then obviously you can become a dancer. So when I'm on the court, I just try to dance on my opponent, spin moves, juke moves. That's why I'm dominant. Last summer Shaquille O'Neal found himself in Montana giving a concert to some kids. While he was there, he stopped at Phil Jackson's lake house. Phil wasn't home, so Shaq took Jackson's wife out to sing Karaoke. When the two returned, Phil was home, and he gave Shaq a tour of his log cabin, including the room holding his six championship trophies. The trophies are positioned in such a way that when the sun hits them each morning, it lights them up one at a time, like gold lightbulbs being turned on. For what it's worth, O'Neal says Mrs. Jackson is a better singer than he is.
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