Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff
Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O’Neal left little room for doubt when he attempted to clear up what he deemed a misinterpretation of his comments in Wednesday’s Boston Globe, saying, “I don’t give a f--- what (Miami Heat head coach Pat) Riley said because I said something that wasn’t really meant like that. What I meant was that when I was on the court with (Chris) Quinn and Ricky Davis, the defense would back off. Now that I’m playing with Steve Nash, the defense has to play different. I don’t give a s--- how he interpreted it. I know what I said. Anything he said doesn’t matter to me at this point. I’m disappointed about a lot of things, but I’d never say it. If I got something to say, I’d say it to him.”
O’Neal made the comment after being informed that Riley said he was “disappointed” with O’Neal’s comments about playing with the Heat.
O’Neal was traded from Miami to Phoenix on Feb. 6.
The recent O’Neal comments that started the commotion were part of a column by The Globe’s Jackie MacMullan.
She quoted O’Neal as saying, “''I love playing for this coach and I love playing with these guys. We have professionals who know what to do. No one is asking me to play with [Heat guards] Chris Quinn or Ricky Davis. I'm actually on a team again.''
O’Neal said after Wednesday night’s game at the TD Banknorth Garden that he was just “clarifying” his statement.
I Believe that Shaq really enjoyed playing with Kobe and not playing with him or a real star and his age and the way he has felt physically the last year or two he has just been plain ole Frustrated is all and when people are frustrated they tend to say things they dont mean. All I know is I have always and will always enjoy watching Shaq play. From his days at LSU until the day he retires. As long as he his not playing against the Celtics I will always cheer and root for him.