Shaquille O’Neal: “The United States will not win gold at Los Angeles 2028”
The former center, one of the great legends of the NBA, gave an interview to the German sports magazine ‘Sport Bild’.
Former center Shaquille O’Neal says he is “sure” that the United States team, champion of the last five editions of the Olympic men’s basketball event, “will not win gold” at the next Games to be held in the Californian city of Los Angeles in 2028.
In an interview with German sports magazine Sport Bild, the four-time champion of the North American professional basketball league has stressed that “20 years ago, the United States was light years ahead of other countries”, but that this situation “has changed” and “Europe has caught up, is just behind and will soon overtake the United States”.
“LeBron James will no longer play, nor will Kevin Durant and Steph Curry. Joel Embiid will probably not be there either. So the supremacy is over. The European teams are really good. Croatia, Serbia and even Germany!” said Shaq, who won gold at Atlanta 96.
Asked about the German national team, the reigning world champion and the United States’ executioner in the 2023 championship, the historic Lakers player stressed that point guard Denis Schröder “is good” and “different from the other NBA point guards and plays in a very unorthodox way - with his own style. Sometimes he goes to the basket when no one expects it.
“I also like the Wagner brothers! They play incredibly well. Franz and Moritz, they are both great! I hope they never separate and always play for the same club. Franz is a scorer and Moritz plays hard and is fearless,” he added.
“Michael Jordan is the best in history”
When asked about his choice in the debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the best player in basketball history, the former NBA season MVP opted for the Chicago Bulls shooting guard.
“You have to look at different eras. When I was a kid, Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were the measure of everything. When I was in college, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were the best. When I got to the NBA, Michael Jordan dominated. Then came Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. But for me the greatest of all time is Michael Jordan,” he explained.
Asked about his all-time select team, Shaq chose Michael Jordan, himself, his former teammate in Los Angeles Kobe Bryant, Julius Earving, Karl Malone and himself.
Speaking about his former NBA rival, German Dallas Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki, O’Neal praised that, although in his first year in the NBA “he seemed a little immobile and rusty,” he had “so much passion for the sport and put so much work into it that he became one of the best players in history.”
“I used to think that Detlef Schrempf would forever remain the best German basketball player of all time, but Dirk has surpassed him. He is a nice guy. It is always nice to talk to him,” he concluded.