Today has to be the most exciting day in these kids’ lives, as they immediately become millionaires fulfilling the life-long dream of playing in the NBA. I don’t care who you are, that’s pretty cool.
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So, of course Shaq would take that time to leave his imprint on the occasion.
Congrats to all the collegiate players picked in this years draft, now it's time to really play some ball. #OKAFOR should of went 1st
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) June 26, 2015
The thinking makes sense. You can’t teach height. Let alone height combined with low-post skills we really haven’t seen in decades from a collegiate freshman. That Shaq would tweet his dislike for how the draft has gone (even though Towns is a big man) is something we all should’ve seen coming.
It would’ve been fun to see if O’Neal would’ve mentored Okafor as a Laker. How to handle the pressure that comes with filling his size 23 shoes. How best to take advantage of his size as his career goes along. How to play with Kobe as he goes the other way despite an obvious mismatch. All that would’ve been fun.
But, Okafor is a Sixer and the Lakers instead went with a guard. Russell’s ceiling is ridiculous and I’m sure Shaq might realize that. (He probably doesn’t).
The Lakers instead preferred Russell to be taken under Kobe’s wing. Just as they did all those years ago, when they kept Kobe and sent Shaq to Miami.