Shaquille O’Neal, the NBA legend and former teammate of LeBron James, has made a bold statement regarding the current state of the league. In a recent discussion, O’Neal pointed to LeBron James rather than Steph Curry as the key figure responsible for what some perceive as the NBA’s decline in entertainment value.
While Steph Curry is widely hailed as the greatest shooter in NBA history, holding the record for the most three-pointers made, his influence on the game has faced mixed reactions. Curry’s sharpshooting skills have revolutionized the sport, with his high-impact three-pointers leading the Golden State Warriors to four NBA titles and cementing his place as one of the game’s all-time greats. However, his long-range shooting has also sparked a trend where teams focus heavily on three-point shooting, sometimes at the expense of other aspects of the game.
Critics argue that this overemphasis on the three-point shot has made the NBA less appealing, with games often featuring fewer traditional plays and more long-distance shooting. Despite Curry’s success, many feel that the current style of play, with players attempting shots from deep without the same level of skill as Curry, has led to a decline in the overall excitement of the game.
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However, Shaquille O’Neal has a different take on the matter. According to O’Neal, it was not Curry’s three-point dominance that altered the landscape of the NBA. Instead, it was LeBron James’ move to the Miami Heat in 2010 that had the most significant impact on the game’s evolution.
Iman Shumpert, who played alongside LeBron James during their time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, shared this perspective during an appearance on O’Neal’s podcast, The Big Pod with Shaq. Shumpert argued that James’ decision to form the “Big Three” in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh set a new trend in the NBA. This move, which allowed superstars to team up on a single team, shifted the dynamics of the league and, according to Shumpert, made it “cool” for players to join forces rather than competing on separate teams.
This new approach to team-building, Shumpert suggested, set the stage for the rise of what he called the “three-headed snake” in Golden State, referring to Curry’s influence in reshaping how teams approached scoring. Shumpert explained that after the Miami Heat’s dominance, teams began prioritizing three-pointers over the traditional two-point shots, fundamentally changing how the game was played.
In Shumpert’s view, if the Cleveland Cavaliers had won their first championship against the Miami Heat, the focus on three-point shooting might not have been as widespread. “If we didn’t lose that first championship, who’s shooting threes?” Shumpert asked, pointing out that the NBA’s game strategy could have remained more balanced.
The debate continues as to whether the emphasis on three-point shooting is good for the NBA, but one thing is clear: LeBron James’ career, particularly his move to the Miami Heat, has had a lasting impact on how the league operates. Whether or not that impact is positive is a question that fans and analysts alike continue to debate.
