Shaquille O’Neal gives a statement amid Ime Udoka’s suspension.
In a recent episode of ‘The BIG Podcast,’ NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal dropped a surprising take on the Ime Udoka scandal.
After the Celtics coach was caught in an affair with one of the team’s other staff members, he was handed a one-year suspension from the head with a real possibility of being let go completely.
Instead of criticizing or scathing Udoka, O’Neal sympathized with him and took the opportunity to open up about his own history of infidelity.
“I’m going to step down from this conversation,” Shaq said. "I was a serial cheater. It would be crazy and blasphemous for me to get up here and say, ‘Boom, boom, bam.’ I can’t do that. I know these guys personally. I know they’re going through a lot because I went through a lot.”
“I just wish that certain parties weren’t involved,” he added. “I’ve known Nia Long for a long time and I like her. … They’re going through a lot of family stuff. I’m never the guy that’s gonna get up here because of my platform and fake it.”
Anytime you’re dealing with a man’s personal life, things are going to get touchy. And while Udoka’s affair does have a direct impact on the Celtics, it’s really his family who suffers the most from all of this.
Shaquille O’Neal Joins A Growing List Of Supporters For Ime Udoka
Still, Udoka does have some supporters. Besides O’Neal, several prominent voices have made a case for Udoka, including Nick Young, who provided a rather candid explanation for the affair.
Nick Young recently sat down with VladTV to discuss a variety of topics around the NBA, including this unfortunate situation. He had a blunt response to all of this, saying that Udoka probably cheated on Nia Long because he was bored. He said that cheating has nothing to do with the woman you're with, but instead boredom.
“It don’t matter about the woman,” said Nick Young. “I think men just get bored sometimes, and things happen when you get bored.”
Of course, Young is also a serial cheater. I guess it takes one to know one.
Meanwhile, for Udoka, his future couldn’t be more uncertain. Even after a stellar season, this scandal could be enough to end his career for good.
I’m the end, it’s a situation that obviously goes much deeper than basketball. Udoka’s livelihood is in the line here, and you can bet the Celtics will be sure to have their facts together before they determine Udoka’s ultimate fate.
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