"Gary would be like, 'I ain't doing that'": Shaquille O'Neal claims Pat Riley traded him and Gary Payton after they rejected his play-calls
Shaquille O'Neal won a championship during his tenure with the Miami Heat. However, it would appear there was some friction between him and Pat Riley, who was the head coach of the South Beach franchise at the time. O'Neal has always been known for his abrasive approach to basketball and has been involved in multiple disputes throughout his career.
O'Neal has since recalled how the Heat traded him and Gary Payton away from the team, as both stars would often ignore Riley's play calls and run something between themselves, which often led to a poor possession. O'Neal spent three and a half seasons with the Heat before joining the Phoenix Suns.
"They got rid of me and Gary in Miami because Gary and I were the only ones that really didn't listen to Pat," O'Neal said. "So Pat would call a play, and Gary would be like, 'I'm not running that. I'm going to throw the ball to Shaq.' Gary would be like, 'I ain't doing that. Give me the ball, I'm gonna throw it to Shaq, Shaq gonna get doubled, he'll kick it.'"
O'Neal played in 205 regular-season games for the Heat, averaging 19.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 2.1 assists per game. The veteran big man was an integral part of Miami's rotation during his time with the franchise. However, O'Neal failed to win another championship after leaving South Beach.
Shaquille O'Neal enjoys a daredevil lifestyle
Since retiring, Shaquille O'Neal has begun ticking things off his bucket list. The veteran big man recently recalled his first experience of scuba diving, noting how he didn't care for it. However, O'Neal did share that he would like to try skydiving next, although he has concerns regarding his height and weight and whether the parachute would hold him.
"My only fear is, can the parachute hold me?" O'Neal said during an interview with People Magazine. "I went to one little class one time and the lady was like, 'How much do you weigh?' I was like, and at this time I was heavy, I was like, '400 lbs.' She was like, 'I think it goes up to 350. But my mom, she sews. She can sew two together.'"
He continued:
"It'll be just my luck that mom didn't feel like sewing that day. And then I'll be all the way up there and then the thing just rips in half. So I want to make sure that everything's in order before I go up there."
It seems like O'Neal prepared for his daredevil lifestyle by ignoring the instructions of Pat Riley, one of the league's most decorated coaches, and is now using that bravery to experience some of the more thrilling aspects of life. O'Neal also shared that he wants to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
It will be interesting to see what bucket list item O'Neal looks to check off next.