NBA – Michael Jordan on the comeback, Shaq has his say: “An idiot”

Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif

After distancing himself from the NBA for several months, Michael Jordan is about to make his comeback in a role he’s never played before. The news didn’t escape Shaquille O’Neal’s notice, and he sent out a strong warning.

After many years of stability, the NBA media landscape in the USA is about to undergo some major changes. The new broadcasting contract, which will take effect for the 2025-26 season, will lead to a number of upheavals. Long-standing broadcaster TNT will lose its rights, and may have feared the loss of its main stars, including Shaquille O’Neal. In the end, this was not to be.

Loyal to his employer, the former pivot signed a lucrative contract extension a few weeks ago and is set to continue delivering his analyses on the famous Inside The NBA show. It remains to be seen whether the latter will be able to stand up to the competition. NBC Sports, which has picked up some of the broadcasting rights, will also have a fine cast of consultants, including a certain… Michael Jordan.

Shaq sets the record straight ahead of Michael Jordan’s comeback

Just a few months after selling the Hornets, Jordan will be back in the NBA next season. He will be honoring a role that is slowly taking shape for NBC Sports, where he will be called upon to give his opinion on certain members of the league. An opinion that could turn out to be negative, which is why O’Neal was keen to prepare the players in an interview with Ashley Nevel :

Shaquille O’Neal : First of all, if anybody says Michael Jordan is hating, you’re an idiot. This man is the only man on earth with G19 classification. G19, higher than the president of the United States classification. So, if Jordan says, “I don’t think this guy is good.” You’re not that f*cking good. I don’t care how many points you’re averaging. If Jordan says he you should do this, you should do it.

Himself accustomed to directing criticism at current stars, Shaq considers MJ even more suited to this exercise. He even goes so far as to say that future targets of His Airness should take this as a godsend:

Shaquille O’Neal : Instead of being into your feelings, just listen to what the greatest player who’s ever played the game has to say. I would love to be playing right now in the drill.

Like, if he said, « when Shaq tries to go to the middle, maybe he should use finesse game. » You know what I’m going to do when I hear that sh*t? I’m going to go home and practice all my finesse game. And then the next game I’m going to be trying to show Mike that, « hey, Mr. Jordan, I have finesse in my game, too. »