“How many times did we lose to Mike before we finally beat Mike? So back in our day you had to compete to get that respect” - Shaquille O’Neal understands Charles Barkley’s criticism of Kevin Durant, says KD took the easy way
Shaquille O'Neal has weighed in on the ongoing feud between Charles Barkley and Kevin Durant. The four-time NBA champ says he understands Barkley's point of view.
Chuck and KD got into it recently after the former said Durant has not earned the respect of the "old heads." He said this after he was asked about Durant's decision to leave the Golden State Warriors, who won the 2022 title.
KD was upset with the statement and sent a stern reply to the Hall of Famer. The NBA community had mixed opinions about the response, and Stephen A. Smith believes the mention of money was unnecessary.
Shaq also got some heat during the saga after he replied to an ESPN post on Instagram. KD said his piece, calling out O'Neal for defending Chuck.
However, Shaq has taken his time to curate a more put-together response. On an episode of "The Big Podcast with Shaq," he said:
"Everyone has an opinion. I am intelligent enough, so before I hit the emotion switch on, I like to listen. Now, I'm not a hater. I understand what Chuck is saying. Let me explain.
"Back in the old days, everybody competed against each other. Like how many times did Magic (Johnson) lose to (Larry) Bird? How many times did Isiah (Thomas) lose to Bird? How many times did Mike (Michael Jordan) lose to Isiah before they finally got it done?
"How many times did we lose to Mike before we finally beat Mike? So, back in our day, you had to compete to get that respect. Now, the way Mr. KD did it, it was different from the old school way, they lose to a team then he joins the team that beat him, then he wins two championships, he made it easier.
"Now we can go back and say, me, if I know that was okay to do, D[ennis] Scott, I would have left you after the second year and went to go play with Mike. But no, I wanted to beat Mike.
"When I left Orlando and went to LA, if I knew it was okay, I would have went back home and played with the Spurs, I would have went and played with Utah. So, the fact that we feel that he didn't compete like we competed, that's where you get that in.
"Now, did he go there and win and drive the bus? Let's just say he had a lot more room because Steph (Curry) and Klay (Thompson) were there. Let's just keep it real."
KD won two championships and two finals MVPs in 2017 and 2018. He led the Warriors to victories over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Kevin Durant has not won a championship since leaving the Golden State Warriors
Durant's decision to leave the Warriors has not produced the success he expected. The argument over who needed who between KD and the Warriors came to light after the Warriors won their first title post-Durant.
KD has failed to get past the second round in the playoffs in two attempts. In 2021, he lost to the Milwaukee Bucks after seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
🧹 SWEEP 🧹
Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the Brooklyn Nets have been swept by the Boston Celtics. https://t.co/4nWRWr9dz2
The Nets exited the just-concluded playoffs in arguably the most embarrassing series loss of KD's career. They were swept in the first round by the Boston Celtics.
Things have descended into chaos in Brooklyn, as they are at risk of losing Durant and Kyrie Irving this offseason. Irving has released a list of teams he would like to land with via sign-and-trade following a reported failure to agree on a long-term deal.
Sources: Kevin Durant is monitoring the Brooklyn Nets’ situation and considering options with his future.
This now opens the path for Kyrie Irving to proceed on finding a new home via opt-in and trade.
Perhaps the most shocking news coming out of Brooklyn is that Durant is "monitoring" the situation to decide his future. KD has already signed a four-year deal that would keep him with the team until 2026, but he could demand a trade if unhappy.