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Shaquille O'Neal Jokes About NBA Being Scripted with Phil Jackson; Here's All You Need to Know
Shaquille O'Neal shared a very interesting story regarding Phil Jackson on his podcast recently in front of Julius Randle.
One of the most dominant players to ever don a Los Angeles Lakers uniform was Shaquille O'Neal. Phil Jackson, his former coach, is also considered one of the greatest ever. Shaq recounted a fascinating "NBA script" tale in which Jackson predicted the Indiana Pacers with startling accuracy.
Shaq and Julius Randle discussed the intriguing tale on their podcast. When Randle inquired about the authenticity of his 2000 NBA Finals championship ring, former Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal laughed it off. Then, Randle jokingly suggested that Shaq was aware that his team would win the championship because of the infamous "NBA script." O'Neal continued with his fascinating Pacers tale after that.
What Did Shaquille O’Neal Say?
Shaq said, “True story, and I've never told this story. In the first round, the first championship, I forgot who we were playing. I heard Phil Jackson tell [Lakers trainer] Gary Vitti, ‘Hey, get us some hotels in Indiana because that's where we're gonna play in the Finals.' This was like before Game 1 in the Finals. And it didn't hit me until we got to Indiana.”
Another podcast guest of O'Neal suggested that Jackson might have based his prediction on the Pacers' status as the top team in the Eastern Conference. Shaq countered that he didn't know how Jackson could have predicted such a thing. Maybe the former coach of the Lakers believed that Los Angeles was unbeatable. Anyway, Jackson's team captured their first championship in the Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant era, winning the series 4-2.
Shaq and Phil's Legacy at Lakers
In the NBA's short history, Los Angeles had one of the most powerful dynasties thanks in part to Phil Jackson. He was successful in combining two of the league's best players into a destructive duo. The time Shaq spent with Kobe Bryant during their championship runs was unmatched. O'Neal insisted that he and Bryant were the greatest duo in history, even years after they had been teammates.
