Buckeye 12-Pack: The Wisconsin Game
November 2, 2011While We’re Waiting… The DiaTribe Returns, Buckeyes Improvise and Your Canton Charge Draft Primer
November 3, 2011When the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Shaquille O’Neal before the start of the 2009-10 season, it was certainly met with mixed reviews. But whether it was ever really the smartest move or if it was instead a reactionary move meant only to deal with the Orlando Magic, the fact remains that Shaq represented a symbol of hope in Cleveland.
Fans here in Cleveland were smart enough to know that the Cavaliers were not getting THE Shaquille O’Neal. No, they were getting the watered down version. But still, the hope was that pairing Shaq and LeBron would be enough. That it would be just the push the team needed to get over the hump.
Of course that never happened. Instead, Shaq was injured for most of his tenure in Cleveland and the Cavaliers never got a shot at revenge with the Magic, instead flaming out spectacularly against the Boston Celtics in the 2nd round. That was the painful end of the great LeBron James era in Cleveland.
A lot will probably be written in the future about LeBron James. I expect a time will come when books will be written explaining more about The Decision, and LeBron’s meltdown against the Celtics, and other less than scrupulous rumors flying around town. Nothing that scandalous has been written now, but still, Shaquille O’Neal has written a book that gives us our first real look behind the curtain in Cleveland.
In the forthcoming book titled “Shaq Uncut: My Story”, the Big Diesel/Aristotle/WhateverHe’sGoingByNow comes clean on a lot of hot button topics including his beef with Kobe Bryant and his time with LeBron in Cleveland.
HoopsWorld.com has a preview of the book and posted some excerpts that are sure to raise book sales in certain circles. First, he talks about the special treatment LeBron received in Cleveland:
LeBron was a huge star. He was as big as I was in 2000 in L.A. when I was dominating the league. … Our coach, Mike Brown, was a nice guy, but he had to live on edge because nobody was supposed to be confrontational with LeBron. Nobody wanted him to leave Cleveland, so he was allowed to do whatever he wanted to do.
I remember one day in a film session LeBron didn’t get back on defense after a missed shot. Mike Brown didn’t say anything about it. He went to the next clip and it was Mo Williams not getting back and Mike was saying, “Yo, Mo, we can’t have that. You’ve got to hustle a little more.” So Delonte West is sitting there and he’s seen enough and he stands up and says, “Hold up, now. You can’t be pussyfooting around like that. Everyone has to be accountable for what they do, not just some us.” Mike Brown said, “I know, Delonte. I know.” Mike knew Delonte was right. …
I’m not sure if Kobe is going to listen to Mike Brown. LeBron never really did. Here’s what we do know: Kobe will definitely be in charge.
It’s hard to say if that passage is meant as a slight more to Mike Brown or LeBron James, but it sure seems like a shot at Coach Brown. Shaq also had something to say about LeBron’s late game playoff performances, in particular the infamous “Game 5” incident:
There’s no question in Game 5 LeBron was kind of out of it. … I always believed he could turn it on at any moment, but for some reason he didn’t. Not against the Celtics in 2010 and not against the Mavericks in 2011. It was weird. It’s one thing to be a passer, but you are supposed to be the One. I’m watching him play against Dallas, and they’re swinging the ball and they get him a perfect open look – and he’s kicking it to Mario Chalmers. Makes no sense. I told people, “It’s like Michael Jordan told me. Before you succeed, you must first fail.”
None of this exactly ground breaking stuff, and for those who were hoping for a genuine blockbuster whistle blowing book about all of LeBron’s problems in Cleveland, well, this book isn’t that.
However, for Cavalier fans, this book is enough to make the stomach turn a little bit. It sheds just a little light on just how carefully LeBron was handled in Cleveland. And that’s no shot at Cleveland. The Cavaliers did what they had to do keep LeBron happy in a place it’s clear now he never really wanted to be. It’s not like treating LeBron any less would have increased the chances of him re-signing with the Cavaliers. But still, it’s sad and unfortunate to have to read about the behind the scenes circus that was really happening.
Maybe Cleveland really was just too small to contain LeBron. Perhaps that franchise is not equipped to handle a star of that magnitude and the trappings that come with it. But still, in a city that boasts Jim Brown and Bob Feller as points of pride, as all time great players who played their entire careers in Cleveland, it’s just a shame that the Cavaliers now seem so ill prepared for that kind of stardom.
Or maybe it’s just LeBron James. Perhaps the player is just a special, unique brand of prima donna. Whatever the case, the whole period probably serves as a valuable lesson for the franchise on what to do and what not to do. Should the Cavaliers be so fortunate as to see Kyrie Irving blossom into a star, or should some other unknown future player be the next great to don the wine and gold, the Cavaliers will have a blueprint for how these things can go south. Shaq’s book provides just the smallest glimpse into that wormhole.
39 Comments
All this does is make me love Delonte West even more.
The saddest part in all of this is right now in some gym, somewhere, there is the next LeBron.
Delonte said pussyfooting?!?!
Tom Heckert really messed up when he drafted LeBron instead of Wade. #smartlikeoribiasi
This book and the whore of akron are definitely going to monopolize my time after they come out. With the quarter winding down and finals after that, this might not end well. Go Bucks
Fun exerpt. I think we all basically knew that LeBron was the on-court coach of those teams, so it’s not that surprising that he didn’t listen to Mike Brown in film sessions either, but it’s still fun to read. Phil Jackson was able to coach Kobe Bryant because all he had to do was whip out rings and compare, but Bryant is going to laugh at Mike Brown. LeBron never had the right to do that though… he never won anything. Instead he was just acting entitled, like he has been doing since high school. Nobody has ever been able to tell him what to do but himself, and so he’s only ever going to listen to himself.
I specifically remember a game in the 2009 season where LeBron called for the ball with Delonte bringing it down the court. Delonte not only refused to give the ball to him he waived him off. It was the only time I could remember a PG in the LeBron area doing that in order to set up a play. I cheered it at the time because someone needed to do it.
This is my shocked face.
I am with Ben, this story makes me love Delonte West even more, too. Even though he looks like he should be the biggest hardass ever, all these stories about him make him almost naive in how he just cared about playing the game. Even though it was probably a publicity stunt I love the fact too, that the thought even went through his mind to try to get a job at Home Depot or a Furniture store during the strike.
BTW The irony of using LeBron in a “Basketball Doesn’t Stop” campaign was lost on Nike marketing considering that his free agency antics are one of the main reasons that the owners took such a hardline approach in the contract talks.
It may not be groundnreaking news but it is certainly nice to hear it from someone on the inside instead of speculating. One thing about Shaq is that he speaks the truth. Lebron will never be what he once was and this may just help him remain tarnished forever.
@ ben: Uh-oh, someone let the golden retriever out of his pen again! Now, go play fetch with Pat Shurmur’s offense, go on!
@ MeandH: I sure hope so. I am waiting for the book to come out after LeFraud retires. I don’t know who is going to write it, maybe Brian Windhorst? I have met him before and I know he doesn’t have too much love for LBJ.
And yeah, kudos to Delonte. That man really tells it like it is. And, if he were a commenter on this site, ben would make some asinine comment. Sigh.
this can only end one way: a bill simmons podcast blaming dan gilbert.
Haha, i can’t believe people are calling out Oribiasi before he even comments. Dang, whether you agree or disagree with him he’s allowed to post whatever he is feeling, just like you. God bless Amurica!
@Oribiasi – I dont think a game of fetch with shurmers offense would be much fun. 3-5 yard tosses, or the occasional 2 yard yard toss backwards.
@Nullster, I forgot about that! Was an awesome sight to behold.
@ Mike E: Yeah, it’s a little shocking. As I said in an earlier thread/article, I must be plucking some mental/heart strings.
And yeah, seeing that game of fetch would be like watching one of those ASPCA commercials. I have to run towards the remote when I hear Sarah McLachlan and I see a sad dog, otherwise my whole afternoon is ruined because I feel so miserable.
“You need to get back on D Son, and tell your mom to get me a beer!”
Oribiasi is great! OBSERVE.
Pussyfooting is a term that i would like to see used a lot more. Also, how can anyone dislike Delonte West?
“It’s not like treating LeBron any less would have increased the chances of him re-signing with the Cavaliers.” This is only true to a point. I do wonder that if the right coach was in place (a coach that would have had the clout to get on LBJ and help him develop), would they have got over that hump and won a title? And in that case, would he have stuck around in Cleveland?
Just look at Phil Silas, he stood up to Lebron and made him accountable, then was gone. Other factors clearly played a part in that decision but, one has to wonder how things would have turned out with a headstrong coach such as Silas.
One thing’s for sure, Shaq just sold me a copy.
@Gren. Paul Silas.
phil silas, paul silas, bucyrus, bocephus.
Look at it this way. Miami didn’t allow him to pull the crap he pulled here. Remember when they tried to get Coach Spo canned and Riley said deal with it? Or when Lebron wanted to go party but was shot down?
“LeBron was a huge star. He was as big as I was in 2000 in L.A. when I was dominating the league…”
Wow, what a modest guy…that’s why I’ve never liked Shaq, because of his extreme arrogance. If you ask the guy, he probably thinks no one’s been a BIGGER star than him, even MJ. He’ll probably say, “MJ was a huge star, as big as me, in fact, when I was dominating the league.” I’m glad he’s gone. By the way, I’m far from a Lebron fan, too. I just hate arrogance.
When LeBron was here, I always hoped that Phil Jackson would come coach the Cavs at some point. If there is one coach who could or would get through to him, its Phil.
Its only a matter of time before Spoelstra gets canned in Miami. At some point the Superfriends will get their way.
Hot sauce in my bag!!!!!!!!!
Mike Brown was a bad choice as head coach That fact cannot be denied.
I did not know that Shaq was uncircumcised – Shaq Uncut should be a fantastic read.
Sham, no matter who was coach, it wouldn’t have mattered. Bring in a hard ass and Lebron would have pouted to his entourage, who would have then complained to Gilbert to get him fired. The coddling was an organizational problem from the start and not just Brown.
@24 thats my favorite post on this site ever.
It’s like Michael Jordan told me. Before you succeed, you must first fail.”
What a joke. MJ may have “failed” in not winning a title his first five years. But he NEVER quit on his team like our boy did. When did you ever see or hear of Jordan, Kobe, or even Shaq being passive, detached, disinterested, in ANY game, let alone a post season game – never. True superstars are not capable of it. I’m so sick of the “lose before you win” excuse. In my opinion, having Lebron on your team guarantees NO championship. GLAD HE’S GONE
CBI I meant Brown was a bad choice as head coach for other reasons then LBJ. I’ve never been a Mike Brown supporter though.
@Adam
I think your comment is actually what Shaq was talking about. Lebron was afraid of failing in the spotlight with the game on the line so he passed the ball off to someone else. Jordan, Kobe, Shaq… these guys want the last shot – win or lose – because they know they are the best shot the team has. And failing with the game on and continuing to persevere gave them the strength to later become champions.
It’s like Gene Hackman says in the Replacements: “Winners always want the ball when the game is on the line.”
jimkanicki – that made me laugh! im sure simmons will blame dan gilbert again! i enjoy simmons, but his view that the cavs should have taken the “OKC model of building a team” is way off and revisionist history. that was true when paxson was still around, but once gilbert took over the team it was “win now.” paxson by the way doesnt get enough blame for messing up so many draft picks and trades that really screwed the team over during lebron’s formidable years with the team. the boozer situation? luke jackson in 2004? no pick in 2005 per wesley person trade. no picks in 2007 thanks to jiri welsch and sasha pavlovic trades. god paxson was bad!
dont forget, MJ passed off to an open steve kerr for a game winner in the ’97 finals. robert horry hit some big shots, including a game winner in the western conference finals for the lakers.
I agree with CBI, the coddling of Lebron was an organizational problem from the top down, starting with Dan Gilbert. Gilbert enabled Lebron the whole time, then got angry when Lebron treated him with no respect. Does that absolve Lebron? No. But Shaq confirmed what was going on and that Lebron’s departure shouldn’t have been as much of a surprise. I was confident this was what was going on before and I’m sure of it now..
I’m also with the rest of you.. Delonte is the man. Standing up for consistency and calling out Mike/Lebron is awesome, but “Pussyfooting” put him over the top. I would bet no other NBA player has ever used that term while on the job. LOL
Still have his jersey and I’m keeping it.