Shaq rebuts LeBron 'ring chasing' talk after Sixers deal
Shaquille O'Neal has offered a blunt rebuttal to NBA fans branding LeBron James a ring chaser for joining the Philadelphia 76ers. The Hall of Famer says James is chasing continued greatness and legacy, not free titles, while warning Tyrese Maxey may lose starring touches. Fresh shaquille oaposneal comments lebron chatter erupted after James' bargain Philly move drew online heat.
James, who turns 42 in December, signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Sixers and will share the floor with Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, and Maxey. Critics quickly called the free-agency choice ring chasing, especially with options that reportedly included Miami, Cleveland, and Golden State.
Key Takeaways
- Shaq told The Stephen A. Smith Show he dislikes fans calling James a ring chaser.
- O'Neal framed the move as chasing greatness and adding to James' legacy book.
- He compared James' Philly bet to his own late-career Celtics stint with Pierce and Garnett.
- Shaq said he feels sorry for Maxey, who may have to "revert to being a regular guy."
- The Sixers are chasing their first NBA title since 1983 behind a suddenly loaded East roster.
What did Shaquille O'Neal say about LeBron's Sixers move?
On Monday's episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, O'Neal pushed back hard. "I don't like y'all calling my man a ring chaser," he said, per Fox News OutKick.
He argued that people without rings are quickest to throw the label. In Shaq's view, James is "continuous chasing"—chasing the chance to stay great and keep writing his legacy—because once a body says it is done, a career cannot restart.
"This guy feels he has two or three years left, why not try and get another championship?" O'Neal asked, pointing to his own late move to Boston to play with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett after winning titles in Los Angeles and Miami.
Why does Shaq feel sorry for Tyrese Maxey?
O'Neal said he is anxious to see how Philly's stars fit and singled out Maxey as the player he feels sorry for. Maxey stepped up as a star while Embiid missed heavy time, then watched Brown and James arrive as Embiid aims to return in shape.
"He's going to have to revert to just being a regular guy," Shaq said, questioning whether Maxey must defer to Brown, James, or Embiid. Four big names cannot all dominate every night, he warned, even while praising Maxey's All-Star rise and unselfish game.
Does LeBron's Philly bet change the Eastern Conference race?
James already owns four championships across three franchises. Pairing him with Embiid, Brown, and Maxey gives Philadelphia a four-star look and a clearer path in the East—fuel for the ring-chasing narrative Shaq rejects.
Labels aside, O'Neal's defense reframes the story as a veteran chasing one more deep run before retirement. For more oddball sports fallout and viral NBA takes, browse Bizarre World on BlasterPost.
Come April, the only verdict that will stick is whether the Sixers turn paper power into playoff proof.