July 28, 2004
Shaq on getting along with his teammates:
"We're gonna be straight," O'Neal said. "I was down here the other day working out with the kid from Vanderbilt we got (second-round pick Matt Freije), and I told him, 'I'm gonna come across the block, and if I get doubled, I'm gonna pass the ball to you and you're gonna have a wide-open jumper, or (forward) Udonis Haslem is gonna come down the lane and he's gonna get a dunk, and you're all gonna get big contracts.' He said, 'What do you mean?' I said, 'Just look at the history. Travis Knight. Horace Grant. A.C. Green.' He said, 'Shaq, you're one of the coolest guys I've met.' "I guess it's always best to take care of the little guy...
He always was a popular teammate. But when it comes to big men (Freije is 6'10") getting fat contracts when they become free agents, it certainly isn't just Shaq's doing in helping his teammtes. Mid-to-little-talent-level big guys all over the league are getting crazy money these days.
Yeah, those contracts sure are getting big, even for the riffraff. But having a big benevolent Shaq around always helps... and he seems to know it.
Post a comment