The 2022 NBA Finals have already concluded, yet some people still have a hangover about the battle between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics-- which the former team has won, capturing their fourth title in eight years. Though, the young Celtics team has shown that the future is promising for the franchise. But, of course, their defeat has cost them tons of criticism from basketball experts and fans.
Whenever a team suffers a defeat, the ones who primarily receive the jabs from the critics are the main guys like Jayson Tatum, who made history by winning the first-ever and even won the first-ever Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP in the recent playoffs. However, in the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics' ace player failed to deliver what was expected from him being the leader of his team, which disappointed fans, including one NBA legend, per Fadeaway World.
Tatum Needs To Step Up His Game
In a recent episode of "The Big Podcast with Shaq," four-time NBA champion and one of the best players ever to play the game Shaquille O'Neal discussed Tatum's performance in the NBA Finals, in which he criticized Tatum's tribute to O'Neal's former teammate and fellow basketball legend Kobe Bryant.
Tatum attracted backlash for some of his Kobe Bryant tributes throughout the playoffs. He notably texted a message to Bryant's number before a crucial game during the playoffs, and he also dressed in the same attire Kobe wore to his Celtics workout during practice before a Finals match.
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The 7 foot 1 "Diesel" stated that he "would never" appreciate Tatum's message to Bryant "I got you today." For Shaq, the 24-year-old Celtics superstar should stop idolizing and start proving himself, according to Essentially Sports.
"So if you wanna be anointed the man and this is your team. This is the stuff that you have to go through. I went through it, Kobe went through it, Durant is going through it, everybody has to go through it," O'Neal, a three-time Finals MVP, said.
Shaq added: "When he learns to step up and Brown both have to learn to step up as a duo together and put up killer numbers. We won't be having these silly conversations. Marcus Smart is a good enough point guard."
It's About Leading the Team
In Los Angeles, Shaq and Kobe played together for eight years. They were one of the most dominant duos in the early 2000s that helped the Lakers achieve the last NBA three-peat since Michael Jordan accomplished it twice in the 1990s.
Although "The Big Aristotle" acknowledged that he regularly pays tribute to NBA legends, O'Neal is keen that current and future players forge their own pathways. Per Sportskeeda, Shaq and the late great Kobe Bryant embraced it as an action plan as they built their hall of fame careers.
Shaq stated in the podcast: "At some point, it can't be about the idol no more. It gotta be about me. You don't think Wilt (Chamberlain), and Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) was my guy? Nah, when I'm in LA, LA's mine now. Love you, Mr. Kareem. Love you, Mr. Wilt. But it's my house right now. My jersey's about to be right next to you, guys. I love you guys. I respect you guys. Thank you for everything you've done, but this is my house now."
