“I’m a bit skeptical”: Shaquille O’Neal confesses AMBIVALENT thoughts on NBA’s top prospect Victor Wembanyama
Shaquille O'Neal skeptical about Victor Wembanyama's NBA future: "I want to see this kid play a full game"
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Shaquille O'Neal and Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama is currently one of the most talked-about young basketball players in the world. The 7-foot-2 French teenager has been making waves in the international basketball setup with his impressive skill set and potential. While many are predicting that he could be the next big thing in the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t stand among the fanbase.
Not everyone is convinced that Wembanyama will be a star amongst the pros, and leading the pack is Shaquille O’Neal. In a recent interview with Sportscasting, O’Neal expressed his doubts about Wembanyama’s NBA potential.
“I’m a bit skeptical because the good and bad thing about highlights,” O’Neal added. “When you put your highlights on, you always show the good parts. I want to see this kid play a full game. He’s not very big — he’s tall, but he’s building up a lot of muscles, not that strong. He can shoot, he can dribble, he can do all that.”
O’Neal went on to say that he hasn’t seen enough of Wembanyama’s post moves and that he believes the French teenager will have to go back to the drawing board when he arrives in the NBA. He also pointed out that many highly touted international prospects have failed to live up to the hype in the NBA.
“So again, now you could be a star in France,” O’Neal said. “When you come over here, you definitely got to start all over. A lot of guys have a lot of hype and came over here, some played out, and some didn’t. So I’m going to be more on the skeptical side like Charles.”
While O’Neal’s comments might seem harsh, it’s worth noting that he’s not writing off Victor Wembanyama entirely. He simply wants to see more from the young player before declaring him a future NBA sensation. And as someone who knows a thing or two about what it takes to succeed in the pros, his opinion carries some weight.
O’Neal, ‘The Big Aristotle’, offers advice to Wembanyama
Despite his skepticism about Wembanyama’s NBA potential, O’Neal had some advice for the young player. He urged Wembanyama to keep playing, keep having fun, and focus on his game.“These kids have a lot going on these days,” O’Neal said. “Comments, views. I think sometimes they’re focusing on the wrong thing.”
O’Neal also spoke about the importance of constructive criticism and how athletes should be open to it. “They’re not adapting quickly to constructive criticism. Like when I was playing, I would love when someone would say something about me. Because, you know, when you’re a real person, you’re getting criticized, first thing you do before you get emotional is see if there’s any truth in that criticism. And if you turn it around like that, rather than just getting sensitive.”
Wembanyama, for his part, seems to be taking the hype and expectations in stride. When asked about LeBron James’ recent praise of him as a “generational” talent, Wembanyama remained humble and focused on his future.
“It’s obviously an honor to see such great people talk like this about me, but it doesn’t change anything,” Wembanyama said. “I didn’t do anything yet. I didn’t play a game in the NBA yet. I wasn’t drafted. I’ve got to stay focused.”
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Vivek Yadav
(624 Articles Published)