Report: Shaq Would Have Retired If Riley Retired

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

The Pat principle

Riley return kept Shaq from quitting

Had Pat Riley not come back to coach the Miami Heat this season, the NBA and the defending champs would be looking at the Big Retirement.
Yes, Shaquille O'Neal was ready to pack it in, walk away from the final four years and $80 million of his contract, if Riley chose to leave, according to sources.

But O'Neal will be in camp tomorrow - in what kind of shape is anyone's guess - as he prepares to start his 15th season and a run for a fifth ring.

Riley didn't formally announce until Aug. 23 what everyone thought was a virtual lock after the Heat won Game 6 of the NBA Finals in Dallas last June. Why would Riley ever step down when Dwyane Wade is only 24 and coming off a Finals MVP performance? Coaches just don't walk away from guys like Wade.

As Riley told South Florida reporters this past week, the first time he sat down to discuss his return, his decision was a "no-brainer."

Riley went on, "it has to do with this team and this time, what I think they need and what they expect from me and from this organization."

It's no secret that at this stage of O'Neal's career and approaching his 35th birthday, he isn't going to play for anyone but Riley. O'Neal doesn't need the money, and the way the league has outlawed his power game, forcing him to go almost exclusively with what he calls "my cute finesse game," he was all set to bow out if Riley had stepped aside. In fact, he didn't start working out until early in September, after Riley's announcement.

"'Just let it roll," Riley said, when asked how long he'll coach. "I don't put a number on it anymore, how long."

When Riley exits, so will O'Neal. That's the plan. Shaq can't overpower people like he once did and he's not the consistent force he was earlier, but he still has plenty of drive. Last June, even as he was averaging a pedestrian 13.7 points per game and 10 rebounds in the Finals, he wanted to show everyone that he could win a le without Kobe Bryant. Now, with Riley in place, O'Neal would like nothing more than to help get Miami back-to-back les.

-New York Daily News

[jacobdrj]

The Pat principle

in what kind of shape is anyone's guess

O'Neal doesn't need the money, and the way the league has outlawed his power game, forcing him to go almost exclusively with what he calls "my cute finesse game," he was all set to bow out

HAHAHA

Who is this writer trying to fool?

[Zunni]

Thanks Riles. That's all we need: another year from "The mouth that bored".

[angel_luv]

Unless I missed something, it seems weird that there would be no mention of Shaq contemplating retirement until after he decided against it.

[ducks]

shaq would not do that in a hundred years
he is an idiot but not that dumb
besides that his agent would kill him