duncan228
10-11-2008, 11:34 AM
Q&A with Shaquille O'Neal (http://www.nba.com/2008/news/features/10/08/shaq.qa/index.html)
A week into his 17th NBA training camp and Shaquille O'Neal still wants the ball, 15 shot attempts to be precise. Don't be surprised if he gets them, especially in new Suns head coach Terry Porter's deliberate, half-court style of offense. As the Suns prepare for three games in the next four days, including the outdoor game at Indian Wells in Palm Springs, Calif., against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday (TNT, 10 p.m. ET), Shaq spoke with NBA.com's John Hareas and weighed in on the differences between a Mike D'Antoni and Terry Porter practice, where he developed his love for the game, his all-time (and current) starting five and what it would mean to be inducted into his native New Jersey Hall of Fame, in which he is one of the 30 nominees this year.
NBA.com: What is the biggest difference between a Mike D'Antoni practice and Terry Porter practice?
Shaquille O'Neal: Mike's practice was 25-30 minutes. His concept was a good concept -- if you really love and care about the game, you'll be in shape. Practice is just a time to walk through and in the game you're going to go out and execute. A lot of other coaches really like to practice and practice hard. They say that practice makes perfect. So it's not different.
NBA.com: What is the biggest surprise in camp thus far?
Shaq: I've been playing 17 years so I've seen it all. I'm not really surprised at anything. I'd say all the guys are good, all the guys are in shape, and everybody is playing well.
NBA.com: The Suns are playing the Nuggets outdoors at Indian Wells in Palm Springs on Saturday. When was the last time you played outdoors?
Shaq: I've been playing outdoors all summer. The only difference is we're going to be playing on a real floor. I've been playing outside with the kids. I would go down to the park. Matter of fact, I was in Weequahic Park in Newark this summer. I just rolled by, had my shoes and shorts on, so I just went out there. My game was originated out there, over at the Hole.
NBA.com: Any challenges playing outside this Saturday?
Shaq: I'm not sure. The only challenge is, is it going to be hot or cool? It's not like playing in a vented air conditioned building.
NBA.com: You've been nominated for the New Jersey Hall of Fame along with Jack Nicholson and Jon Bon Jovi. What would it mean to you personally to be inducted?
Shaq: Man, it would be a great honor, born and raised in Jersey. There's been a lot of great people come from that state. Vince Lombardi. Yogi Berra. Senator Bill Bradley. So it would just be an honor for myself, especially a guy from the projects of Newark, New Jersey. It would be a big honor to my neighborhood and also a big honor to the children.
NBA.com: What did those years at Weequahic Park in Newark represent to your overall basketball success?
Shaq: It represented something because I was one of those guys even though I was big, I really couldn't play and nobody picked me. So every time I got in I had to fight and just keep fighting and develop my power. That's where my game originated from, from the projects of Newark. I used to go out there and act like I was playing against Dr. J, so it helped me develop my game. It also helped me develop the crazy imagination that I have.
NBA.com: Didn't you used to play with a raggedy ball?
Shaq: No, it was always a good ball. My father got some extra money because he always drove rent-a-trucks back from New York/New Jersey, so the first thing he bought me was a Dr. J ball, one of those rubber balls. It wasn't raggedy. I actually took care of the ball and I took it everywhere I went. I was instructed to dream with the ball, take it to school with you, keep it in your book bag. Dribble, dribble, dribble. That's what I did.
NBA.com: Throughout your career you've invested heavily in commercial real estate in Newark. What's your vision for the city?
Shaq: To help beautify Newark, to help beautify downtown and bring more business back there. New York is what it is, but Newark is the only place that's also on the water, has a beautiful downtown, beautiful skyline, so I want to help beautify that. We want to tear the projects down, get some condos, get everybody back on their feet, and just beautify Newark.
NBA.com: How often do you visit Newark during the offseason?
Shaq: I still have 90 percent of my family up there so I am there all the time.
NBA.com: Fans can vote you into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. What message do you have for them?
Shaq: If they vote me in, thank you. Born and raised in New Jersey, a true Jersey guy, I will always represent Jersey. Hopefully they love me enough to vote me in.
NBA.com: If you were to get inducted, who would you thank?
Shaq: I would probably thank everybody. I'd thank all the other greats who got in, my mom and dad.
NBA.com: How does Amare look to you in goggles?
Shaq: He looks all right. He reminds me of Horace Grant, but he looks all right.
NBA.com: With the Suns slowing down the game, how much of a role to you expect to have in the offense?
Shaq: Hopefully I'll have a lot. My thing is, if they still want me to put up Shaq numbers, hopefully I can get the Shaq attempts. Right now they're just asking me to lead and be there for Robin and just do what I do. But if I can get 15 shots, I've been shooting 50 percent, so if I'm involved in the offense we should go pretty far. I'm just going to do whatever I have to do.
NBA.com: Who is your all-time starting five?
Shaq: Hakeem Olajuwon at the center; Barkley at the small forward; Karl Malone at the power forward; Pistol Pete and Mike Jordan at guards.
NBA.com: And your starting five today?
Shaq: Kobe, D-Wade, LeBron, Amare and me at the five.
NBA.com: Finish this sentence. Playing with Steve Nash is...
Shaq: Incredible because if you're open half of a percentage of an inch he will find a way to get you the ball.
NBA.com: What kind of education are you providing rookie Robin Lopez in practice?
Shaq: All of the great big man education that was handed down to me.
NBA.com: The NBA All-Star Game this season is in Phoenix. Will you be on the West team?
Shaq: Hopefully. If the fans vote me in.
A week into his 17th NBA training camp and Shaquille O'Neal still wants the ball, 15 shot attempts to be precise. Don't be surprised if he gets them, especially in new Suns head coach Terry Porter's deliberate, half-court style of offense. As the Suns prepare for three games in the next four days, including the outdoor game at Indian Wells in Palm Springs, Calif., against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday (TNT, 10 p.m. ET), Shaq spoke with NBA.com's John Hareas and weighed in on the differences between a Mike D'Antoni and Terry Porter practice, where he developed his love for the game, his all-time (and current) starting five and what it would mean to be inducted into his native New Jersey Hall of Fame, in which he is one of the 30 nominees this year.
NBA.com: What is the biggest difference between a Mike D'Antoni practice and Terry Porter practice?
Shaquille O'Neal: Mike's practice was 25-30 minutes. His concept was a good concept -- if you really love and care about the game, you'll be in shape. Practice is just a time to walk through and in the game you're going to go out and execute. A lot of other coaches really like to practice and practice hard. They say that practice makes perfect. So it's not different.
NBA.com: What is the biggest surprise in camp thus far?
Shaq: I've been playing 17 years so I've seen it all. I'm not really surprised at anything. I'd say all the guys are good, all the guys are in shape, and everybody is playing well.
NBA.com: The Suns are playing the Nuggets outdoors at Indian Wells in Palm Springs on Saturday. When was the last time you played outdoors?
Shaq: I've been playing outdoors all summer. The only difference is we're going to be playing on a real floor. I've been playing outside with the kids. I would go down to the park. Matter of fact, I was in Weequahic Park in Newark this summer. I just rolled by, had my shoes and shorts on, so I just went out there. My game was originated out there, over at the Hole.
NBA.com: Any challenges playing outside this Saturday?
Shaq: I'm not sure. The only challenge is, is it going to be hot or cool? It's not like playing in a vented air conditioned building.
NBA.com: You've been nominated for the New Jersey Hall of Fame along with Jack Nicholson and Jon Bon Jovi. What would it mean to you personally to be inducted?
Shaq: Man, it would be a great honor, born and raised in Jersey. There's been a lot of great people come from that state. Vince Lombardi. Yogi Berra. Senator Bill Bradley. So it would just be an honor for myself, especially a guy from the projects of Newark, New Jersey. It would be a big honor to my neighborhood and also a big honor to the children.
NBA.com: What did those years at Weequahic Park in Newark represent to your overall basketball success?
Shaq: It represented something because I was one of those guys even though I was big, I really couldn't play and nobody picked me. So every time I got in I had to fight and just keep fighting and develop my power. That's where my game originated from, from the projects of Newark. I used to go out there and act like I was playing against Dr. J, so it helped me develop my game. It also helped me develop the crazy imagination that I have.
NBA.com: Didn't you used to play with a raggedy ball?
Shaq: No, it was always a good ball. My father got some extra money because he always drove rent-a-trucks back from New York/New Jersey, so the first thing he bought me was a Dr. J ball, one of those rubber balls. It wasn't raggedy. I actually took care of the ball and I took it everywhere I went. I was instructed to dream with the ball, take it to school with you, keep it in your book bag. Dribble, dribble, dribble. That's what I did.
NBA.com: Throughout your career you've invested heavily in commercial real estate in Newark. What's your vision for the city?
Shaq: To help beautify Newark, to help beautify downtown and bring more business back there. New York is what it is, but Newark is the only place that's also on the water, has a beautiful downtown, beautiful skyline, so I want to help beautify that. We want to tear the projects down, get some condos, get everybody back on their feet, and just beautify Newark.
NBA.com: How often do you visit Newark during the offseason?
Shaq: I still have 90 percent of my family up there so I am there all the time.
NBA.com: Fans can vote you into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. What message do you have for them?
Shaq: If they vote me in, thank you. Born and raised in New Jersey, a true Jersey guy, I will always represent Jersey. Hopefully they love me enough to vote me in.
NBA.com: If you were to get inducted, who would you thank?
Shaq: I would probably thank everybody. I'd thank all the other greats who got in, my mom and dad.
NBA.com: How does Amare look to you in goggles?
Shaq: He looks all right. He reminds me of Horace Grant, but he looks all right.
NBA.com: With the Suns slowing down the game, how much of a role to you expect to have in the offense?
Shaq: Hopefully I'll have a lot. My thing is, if they still want me to put up Shaq numbers, hopefully I can get the Shaq attempts. Right now they're just asking me to lead and be there for Robin and just do what I do. But if I can get 15 shots, I've been shooting 50 percent, so if I'm involved in the offense we should go pretty far. I'm just going to do whatever I have to do.
NBA.com: Who is your all-time starting five?
Shaq: Hakeem Olajuwon at the center; Barkley at the small forward; Karl Malone at the power forward; Pistol Pete and Mike Jordan at guards.
NBA.com: And your starting five today?
Shaq: Kobe, D-Wade, LeBron, Amare and me at the five.
NBA.com: Finish this sentence. Playing with Steve Nash is...
Shaq: Incredible because if you're open half of a percentage of an inch he will find a way to get you the ball.
NBA.com: What kind of education are you providing rookie Robin Lopez in practice?
Shaq: All of the great big man education that was handed down to me.
NBA.com: The NBA All-Star Game this season is in Phoenix. Will you be on the West team?
Shaq: Hopefully. If the fans vote me in.