Oct 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley addresses the crowd during the Pat Riley Court dedication ceremony at halftime at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Six-Time NBA All-Star Becomes Latest To Throw Shade At Pat Riley

Originally posted on Miami Heat on SI
By Shandel Richardson | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 9:49 AM ET

At the time, Jermaine O'Neal thought it was the ideal situation.

He joined the Miami Heat for the 2008-09 season. It gave an opportunity to play with Dwyane Wade and for the Pat Riley-run organization.

While O'Neal has nothing but respect for Riley, he said players struggled with strict rules. One of them was everyone on the roster having an eight percent body fat.

“I didn’t choose Oreo cookies over a championship,” O'Neal said on the In The Mud podcast with Zach Randolph and Tony Allen. “That’s idiotic for people to think. I was saying the eight percent body fat. Think about it, eight percent for a big (man) is crazy. That's why [Antoine Walker] couldn't suit up."

O'Neal lasted less than two seasons before deciding to play elsewhere. He was gone by the 2010-11 season, joining the Boston Celtics with hopes of winning a championship. That never happened because the Celtics' title window was already on the way to closing.

“Pat Riley is a champion man, you don’t question that,” O'Neal said. “Either it works for you, or it doesn’t… And I enjoyed being down there, and I realized… I’m like 30 years old at the time. I’m looking at food like I don’t know if I can eat this. And I’m already trying to redefine myself, try to figure everything out.”