Why did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ignore Shaquille O'Neal? Exploring their potential beef and its ultimate squashing on air
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar dominated the NBA during his 20-year career. The 7-foot-2 center spent 14 years playing for the LA Lakers, turning them into a powerhouse and winning five championships with them.
Abdul-Jabbar's glorious basketball career ended in 1989. Less than a decade later, the Lakers signed another center, Shaquille O'Neal, who was supposed to bring championships to the team.
Despite his retirement, Kareem wasn't very friendly toward Shaq. The Lakers legend even refused to talk to O'Neal, who was still a young and up-and-coming star at the time.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did not like Shaquille O'Neal
Abdul-Jabbar was much more than just the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Besides his incredible scoring skills and unstoppable skyhook, Kareem was a defensive juggernaut as well.
The big man achieved a lot of success during his 14-year tenure with the Lakers. When his career ended, he was a six-time MVP, a 19-time All-Star and a six-time NBA champion. Abdul-Jabbar won numerous other accolades as well.
In 1993, O'Neal was in his rookie season and played for the Orlando Magic. He also had a deal with Reebok and was featured in a commercial with other all-time great centers, including Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
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While other centers gave words of encouragement to the young Magic center, Abdul-Jabbar walked off the set. O'Neal joined the LA Lakers in a few years, but the relationship between him and Abdul-Jabbar did not change.
Shortly after joining the Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal was compared to Abdul-Jabbar, which is not something the former center liked. Even though Shaq was dominant, he had to win championships to be compared to Kareem.
Abdul-Jabbar reportedly didn't even make eye contact with Shaq when they met in a restaurant. However, it appears that this behavior by the Lakers legend motivated the young center as he became a superstar and won three of his four championships in Los Angeles.
Abdul-Jabbar squashed his beef with Shaq
During LeBron James' historic game against the OKC Thunder on Tuesday night, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar decided to mend his relationship with Shaquille O'Neal. The two legends talked to each other during the broadcast of the game.
“You felt that I was ashamed of you or ignoring you — that would never be the case,” Abdul-Jabbar said to O'Neal. "And you showed what you were all about the way you crushed all the centers in the league for a couple of years there.
"I’m on your side Shaq. Don’t ever let anybody tell you anything different."
This Shaq x Kareem exchange is worth the watch, nothing but respect. 🙏
https://t.co/9xBVCQXfCM
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O'Neal said that Kareem not speaking to him was one of the best things to happen to him because he wanted to impress him. Shaq also said that he loved Abdul-Jabbar and that the two would keep in touch.