Turns out Shaq wasn’t fibbing. He didn’t hate Orlando coach Brian Hill.
He hated teammate Nick Anderson.
Sunning himself in Hawaii in the Lakers preseason camp, Shaquille O’Neal said he repeatedly talked to Hill about why he was so worried about appeasing Anderson.
“Everyone knows all the great teams had a great 1-2 punch,” said O’Neal. “Our 1-2 punch was supposed to be me and Penny (Hardaway). He was worried about getting the other guys plays. Those guys got to be role players. Instead, they’re worried about”–and here Shaq’s voice gets purposefully whiny–” `You’re getting too many calls; you’re getting all the media attention.’ I used to go in the locker room and get on these guys and he (Hill) would say, `Don’t do that. You’re gonna hurt his feelings.’ “
O’Neal also said Magic management failed to adequately back him, and hearing all this Anderson shot back.
“He’s not a man,” said Anderson. “He never had anything to say to anyone except Dennis (Scott). The guy never wanted to practice. He would get mad at practice and say, `I’ll see you with my next team next year.’ Not only did the Magic cater to Shaq, the league catered to Shaq. They made him a monster. But Superman is a fiction, not a fact.”
So how did the Bulls lose to Orlando in 1995?
Chuck barks: Let’s stay out west, which is a heck of a lot more interesting this season. That’s in part because the Chuckster, Charles Barkley, is still there, having landed in Houston, predicting a 60-victory season and offering his Barkleyisms of the NBA world.
On the Spurs acquiring Dominique Wilkins, who turns 37 this season: “They’re just making our team look young.”
On playing for Rudy Tomjanovich: “There’s not too many good coaches in the league, but Rudy’s one of them. He and Phil Jackson, they’re not on an ego trip. A lot of coaches think they’re the show. They’re not the show. The players are. Pat Riley is learning now no matter how good a coach you are, if you have lousy players, you’re not going to win.”
On golfer Tiger Woods: “He’s probably the most important person in sports since Jackie Robinson.”
In actual Rockets basketball stuff, Brent Price, the Rockets’ big free-agent point guard acquisition at $18 million over seven years, was being outplayed by rookies Emanual Davis, Matt Maloney and Randy Livingston before being hurt in practice.
Dog bites: The Bulls play their home exhibition opener Tuesday, but the guy trying to make an impression will be the Bucks’ Glenn Robinson. With superstardom predicted for him, Robinson hasn’t exactly been a bust. But superstardom is no longer predicted. Robinson has been viewed as selfish, less interested in team defense and success than personal statistics. The Bucks have added considerable talent this season in Andrew Lang, Armon Gilliam, Elliott Perry and rookie Ray Allen. But their ability to rise above mediocrity still rests with Robinson.
“If I play Glenn Robinson’s game and we win, all that stuff will take care of itself,” said Robinson. “I know I can have great stats. I want to do it on a winning team. I do care about my image. But no matter what people believe or say, I have to do what Glenn Robinson feels is best for him. I’m used to taking heat. It seems every year I go through something, but all that does is make me go out and play hard.” We’ll see.
Talk isn’t cheap: Also depending on this season to restore his glitter is Robinson’s predecessor as No. 1 pick, the Bullets’ Chris Webber, who was in camp on opening day for the first time in his career.
Said Webber: “I think it’s the biggest year of my career. It’s the first time nothing else to this point matters to me. I don’t know how everything turned on me to being hurt all the time, or being criticized for not playing. I’m at the point in my life where I have to start all over. Before, I’ve complained. (But) I’ve always said, `Give us talent, and Juwan (Howard) and I can show you what we can do.’ (General Manager Wes) Unseld has given us more than enough talent. Now it’s up to us.”
Heck, Webber’s so giddy he said he doesn’t even want to renegotiate his once best-in-the-league $58 million deal, now almost doubled by Howard. Said Webber: “I got what I asked for. Now it’s time to win.”
Fast breaks: It looks as though Chuck Person, who was injured aboard the Spurs’ private plane last November when his seat wasn’t strapped down, will have to have back surgery and miss the season. . . . Despite a guaranteed contract for this season, Chicagoan Sherell Ford is battling with Greg Graham, Larry Stewart, Anthony Miller and rookie Drew Barry for two spots with Seattle. . . . The Sonics dropped Jerrod Mustaf, apparently because he remains a prime suspect in the murder of his pregnant girlfriend. . . . No referee strike this season like last, but there could be a shortage nonetheless as the league is bracing for perhaps a dozen referees to be indicted for tax evasion in a two-year investigation of referees cashing in their first-class tickets, flying coach and then not reporting income on the difference. Now that’s our government really fighting crime. . . . Optimism in Portland, where the additions of J.R. Rider, Kenny Anderson and Rasheed Wallace to go along with Uncle Cliffy Robinson give the Blazers something of a Most Likely to Get Arrested trio. “We have depth and talent,” Wallace said. “I’d say we should win over 60.” . . . A strong Chicago flavor spices up the 76ers’ coaching staff with Maurice Cheeks, former Bulls coach Ed Badger and Bob Ociepka from York High School. . . . The Heat has interest in reacquiring Rony Seikaly, still a Warriors’ holdout, but Golden State wants P.J. Brown in return. . . . The Warriors rejected New Jersey’s offer of Yinka Dare and Khalid Reeves for Seikaly. . . . Looks like Donald Whiteside, who played in exotic locations like Tasmania, Venezuela, Latvia and Rockford and spent last year teaching religious history at Leo High School, is in line to be Damon Stoudamire’s backup in Toronto. Isiah Thomas even wants his bosses to eat the $5 million left on B.J. Tyler’s contract to keep Whiteside.
