Shaquille O'Neal Shows How To Appreciate Michael Jordan, LeBron James And Others Without Hating

We're in a world where all of history gets condensed down to a list or a ranking. By the nature of ranking certain players above others, many legends see their games come under constant attack as compared to other legends with similar accomplishments. 

Whenever the GOAT debate comes up, people focus on what Jordan couldn't do or LeBron couldn't do as compared to the others. LeBron couldn't go 6-0, Jordan couldn't make his prime last as long as LeBron's. There are inherent compliments for each player in those statements, but they're usually framed as a negative for the other as compared to a positive.

Fan culture is toxic at times, which is why Shaq felt the need to send out a message like this. Hopefully, we can come to grow more appreciative of the stars we watch before they retire, as the only thing that matters is what happens on the court. What they've done on the court is magnificent and will remain untouchable.

Hating Legends Is Not The Right Way To Appreciate The Game

LeBron James said something about his career during the 2023 offseason that could be applied to any NBA legend. Regardless of your personal feelings about them, you have to respect them.

"Listen, you can love me and I know some of you hate me as well. But the one thing you will always do is respect me and appreciate the way I approach the game and what I've given to this game."

The treatment James often receives to try and minimize his position as one of the greatest players of all time has been particularly harsh, something that even Jerry West pointed out.

"I greatly admire what he's accomplished. It's hard for me to believe that someone doesn't recognize his greatness. this guy does everything, he's a Swiss army knife. And he's competitive as hell. Frankly, I wish people would leave him alone."

However, fans will always hate players they perceive as rivals to their favorites. Fans will be haters of NBA stars in general because that's just how fandom works. Devin Booker once even used the example of LeBron and Curry having haters as the reason why he isn't phased by his haters, as he isn't on the level of the players people find a reason to hate anyway.

"There’s people that hate on LeBron James and Steph Curry — still, to this day. So once you embrace that (reality) and just realize that there’s different types of people, you get it. There’s haters, and there’s supporters." 

Hating in basketball or any sport won't end, but hopefully, we can improve to be more respectful fans of the sport over time.