"They haven't made the playoffs in a long time, that should be their motivation" - Shaquille O’Neal gives a realistic outlook on Sacramento Kings' chances to win a title in 2023
Former part-owner of the Sacramento Kings Shaquille O’Neal spent most of his NBA career competing at the highest level. It is safe to say that he understands what is required for a franchise to win a championship. O’Neal had some words of encouragement for the new-look Sacramento Kings. On “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” he discussed their chances of winning it all next season.
The Sacramento Kings started planning for the 2022-23 season after acquiring Domantas Sabonis, Justin Holiday, and Jeremy Lamb from the Indiana Pacers. The Kings followed that up by adding Kevin Huerter, Malik Monk, Chima Moneke and former NBA champion Matthew Dellavedova to their roster.
The Kings squad has garnered significant interest over the summer. Their name is among some predictions that have them winning the 2023 NBA Finals.
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Shaquille O’Neal took a question regarding the Sacramento Kings’ chances to win the NBA Finals and responded reassuringly by saying:
“Every team has the chance to make the Finals. Depends on your star two players and depends on the others.”
However, O’Neal reminded the fans about the steps involved in making the Finals, saying:
“They haven't made the playoffs in a long time. That should be their motivation. You gotta have steps, right? So, Sacramento, you haven't been to Playoffs. Let's put together a good enough run to make the playoffs. Let's just build that.”
The last time the Sacramento Kings were in the playoffs was 2006, which puts their playoff drought at 16 years. Although they’ve had some good seasons and promising talent, the Kings have remained sub-par. It will be interesting to see if they can live up to the hype and finally make the playoffs next season.
Shaquille O’Neal reflects upon his career amidst the Sacramento Kings hype
Shaquille O’Neal entered the league in 1992 with a winning mentality from his first season. He was determined to make the Orlando Magic a winning team, dominating the court to make that happen. O’Neal averaged 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks as a rookie, winning Rookie of the Year. However, his team did not make the playoffs in his first season.
Shaquille O’Neal was reminiscent of his thought process the following season, saying:
“When I got to Orlando, in my mind, I knew we could win a championship, but it don't work like that. So, my first year, 41-41, didn't make the playoffs. So, now we making the playoffs. I don't care what anybody says. We making the playoffs. Not only do we make the playoffs. We went to the Finals. So it's a process.”
The Orlando Magic made the playoffs in the 1993-94 season but were defeated by the Indiana Pacers in the first round. The following season was the first time O’Neal made the Finals.
Shaquille O’Neal averaged 28 points, 12.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.5 blocks. He faced the Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. The Magic ended up losing in four games.