According to Lakers Daily, Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal recently sparked intrigue on social media by sporting a shirt that humorously presented him as a presidential candidate for the upcoming United States election against Trump and Biden. While O’Neal’s post was likely made in jest, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith couldn’t resist reacting, humorously suggesting that the Hall of Famer may not be equipped to handle the stress of running a country.
In response to O’Neal’s playful presidential campaign, Stephen A. Smith tweeted, “You need to stop @SHAQ. You know good and well you can’t deal with the stress .”
It remains unclear how serious O’Neal is about the idea of running for U.S. president. He admitted to voting for the first time in the 2020 presidential election, which may indicate an increased interest in civic matters. Additionally, he participated in a virtual rally to support Democratic candidate Joe Biden.
However, running for the highest elected position in the nation would likely require O’Neal to make significant commitments and potentially step away from some of his other responsibilities, such as his role on “Inside the NBA,” where he is known for his banter with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson.
Throughout his NBA career, O’Neal proved himself as a winner, securing a total of four NBA championships. He won three titles with the Lakers from 1996 to 2004 and added his fourth championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. O’Neal’s dominance as a big man during his time with the Lakers solidified his legacy, with an average of 27.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game, along with an NBA MVP award.
While O’Neal and Kobe Bryant formed a successful partnership during their time with the Lakers, their relationship was not without its challenges, and they eventually parted ways in the 2004 offseason. O’Neal played eight seasons for the Lakers, establishing himself as one of the most dominant big men in the history of the game before seeking success with other teams.
https://twitter.com/stephenasmith/status/1710812703806083230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
