"With LeBron, without LeBron" - Shaquille O'Neal flips the script on teaming with Lakers' legend for new NBA Las Vegas franchise
Shaquille O'Neal is also known for his successful business ventures post-basketball life besides being recognized for his incredible NBA career. Interestingly, the discussions surrounding a possible league expansion to Las Vegas have certainly piqued his interest in ownership of the franchise, even if LeBron James was involved in the equation, as per Lakers Daily's Orel Dizon.
"If there's ever an NBA team that's going to come here," O'Neal said, "I would definitely like to be involved. With LeBron, without LeBron, I just want to be involved."
When it comes to the league's possible expansion to Las Vegas, James has made it publicly clear his intentions to be an owner of an NBA team there. In what looked to be competition between the two former Cleveland Cavaliers teammates, Shaquille O'Neal ended up considering joint ownership of a Las Vegas NBA team.
"I want to be involved," O'Neal said. "There are two types of owners. There's the owner that just has the bragging rights and I'm the partial owner and there's guys that like to make decisions. I, at some point, would like to be in on the decision-making process."
According to CBS Sports' Jack Maloney, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has not talked about finalized plans regarding a league expansion but mentioned that "it's natural that organizations grow over time."
"We will look at (Vegas)," Silver said. "There's no doubt there's enormous interest in Seattle. That's not a secret. There are other markets that have indicated interest. What we're saying to everyone privately is the same thing I'm saying publicly that there'll be a very open process at the time already to consider expansion."
Shaquille O'Neal opens up about professional jealousy toward LeBron James
Before his recent comments about a possible team-up in ownership with LeBron James in an NBA team located in Las Vegas, Shaquille O'Neal opened up about his professional jealousy over the 19-time All-Star on TNT's "Inside The NBA."
"I'm a little bit jealous of LeBron, and let me tell you why," O'Neal said. "Greatest analyst, greatest shooters, one of the most dominant big men. But I would like my (name) in the conversations of greatest of all time. I'm not in that conversation. He is. Kobe Bryant is. Michael Jordan is.
"I ask people this all the time, when he passes up Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in points, what you gonna say about LeBron James? Is he the greatest player of all time, one of the greatest players? But I would also love to be in that position where I'm the number one spot."
The jealousy he feels toward James comes from an angle of admiration but goes to show that his competitive spirit remains in him, long past his playing days.