When he was an NBA star, Shaquille O’Neal traveled all over the world to play basketball.
It’s not a shock to hear that he loved some places more than others and couldn’t stand playing in certain locations.
Speaking on “The Big Podcast”, O’Neal admitted that he never liked playing in Utah.
It wasn’t just because the combination of John Stockton and Karl Malone was hard to figure out, it was also because Salt Lake City didn’t have any sort of nightlife to keep O’Neal busy.
“There ain’t s–t to do in Utah,” he said.
“Ain’t sh*t to do in Utah.”
– Shaq on playing against Utah ?
Watch our full episode with Leonard Fournette here: https://t.co/XtZMHxYHaY pic.twitter.com/7Q8pKG9RL9
— The Big Podcast (@bigpodwithshaq) October 17, 2024
O’Neal revealed that he couldn’t just stay in his hotel room all day.
If he wasn’t able to get out and hit the town, he would feel cooped up and have a bad game.
But when he was in Utah, he didn’t have many options and that is why he didn’t like going there multiple times a year.
Of course, he didn’t have a choice, especially during that period when the Jazz were so competitive.
Even though O’Neal didn’t like flying to Salt Lake City, he still competed hard during his many visits there.
Now, years later, he can look back and admit the city was too quiet and too slow for his liking.
O’Neal is now retired, of course, but he still travels for games because he is a valued commentator.
The future of his career is in question, however, because it’s not clear what is next for his time with TNT.
The network has lost the rights to air NBA games in the future although reports have stated they still wish to air “Inside the NBA.”
So, will O’Neal continue to travel for basketball or will things look different for him in the years ahead?
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