Bucks Zone

"You and Giannis are being too nice" - Shaq offers crucial advice to Damian Lillard

Shaq knows what the Bucks are going through right now.
Jonas Panerio|
© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Iconic big man Shaquille O’Neal knows what it feels like to burden a team’s expectations on his shoulders. He was, after all, the main man of the Orlando Magic and, later on, the Los Angeles Lakers—two teams that had title aspirations during his stints there.

But now, Shaq is offering some valuable advice to superstar Damian Lillard as the Milwaukee Bucks head into the final stretch of the regular season. The Bucks have been underwhelming lately, limping to a 3-7 in their last ten games heading to the All-Star break. A former champion, Shaq knows what it takes to win and sustain success in the NBA, and he believes that Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo need to stop being “too nice” and take charge of the Bucks to reach their full potential.

Superstars get the shine and the blame

In Shaq’s heyday, whenever his team won, it was a certainty that he’d get the lion’s share of the credit. But when things went south, he also took most of the blame. The same can be said for Lillard and Antetokounmpo in their respective teams. They are undoubtedly the top players on the Bucks and have been putting up big numbers, but they also shoulder much of the responsibility when things don’t go well.

"I've been in a position you've been before. Kenny’s been in the position before. You and Giannis are being too nice. When it's all said and done, when it all don't work out, three people will get blamed: Doc, you, and Giannis. So you and Giannis gotta make sure the troops get it done,” Shaq told Lillard when the latter appeared on the postgame show of the All-Star Game.

Be more assertive

Though the Bucks hold a 35-21 record, their recent slide has dropped them to third in the Eastern Conference standings, behind the Boston Celtics and the surging Cleveland Cavaliers. Shaq argued that despite the coaching transition, the Bucks' talent should be enough to keep them from slipping down the standings.

“There’s no reason that Doc and y'all are 3-7. When you get back, you're gonna have to grab some people by the necks and say, ‘Hey, this is what I need you to do,’” Shaq emphasized.

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Jonas Panerio
JONAS PANERIO