Casual.

 now i’m not gone call no names, but-

actually, that’s not true. Mr. Shaquille O’Neal, please step up to the podium.

Shaq is a NBA Hall of Famer, with a resume as long as his feet. despite possessing illustrious credentials, Shaq insists on leaning into an oafish, get-off-my-lawn type shtick that makes his wafer-thin basketball analysis unbearable.

just last night, after Donovan Mitchell scored 36 points to secure the win for the soaring Utah Jazz, Shaq stated, “you are one of my favorite players, but you don’t have what it takes to get to that next level.” To which, a sheepishly-grinned Mitchell said “aight” in response. hmm.

this encounter comes weeks after Shaq told Christian Wood, ON THE “INSIDE THE NBA” STAGE, that he “wasn’t familiar with his game”, moments after incorrectly declared he wasn’t talented but he plays hard. i just- HUH????? Christian Wood correctly called him a casual, because that’s what he is.

Shaquille O’Neal is a casual.

i’m just curious as to how we are expected to glean or learn from casuals who are lucky enough to have their elementary & oft incorrect takes boosted throughout NBA games.

before you scoff in derision- yes, i know that Inside The NBA’s infrastructure isn’t necessarily designed to teach fans about basketball. HOWEVER (she screams loudly), with a platform this vast, & with a sport this popular, it’s almost malpractice to allow casuals to spew unsubstantiated claims that can easily be debunked if they actually *watched* the game. but no, we let this shoddy analysis continue just because a laugh can be given in exchange.

if you put NBA giants on a stage to discuss a sport they have played & excelled in at nearly every level, it’s fair to expect more than “i didn’t know you before tonight” declarations, or inappropriate jokes about San Antonio women. (i’m looking directly at you, Charles.)

maybe it’s just me. maybe i hate fun. i’ve been in school for a long time, so maybe it’s my natural disposition to expect to learn when i consume various forms of media. but i really think that fans & the actual game of basketball deserve a lot more than what we are receiving. i can comfortably name 10 Twitter follows that seem more educated about the game than Shaq. that’s not okay. 

so if you put Shaquille O’Neal on a platform to discuss basketball, can he maybe.....discuss basketball? is that too much to ask? 

or maybe i expect a bit too much from a casual.