The New Orleans Pelicans fan base was thrilled about Zion Williamson's performance Tuesday night against Los Angeles Clippers.
Williamson finished with 22 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in the victory. But NBA great and TNT analyst Shaquille O'Neal was hardly impressed.
"You giving him props for that," O'Neal said during the postgame TNT broadcast. "I need more. I need 26, 27. I demand from my franchise player that you paid the maximum. Don't be giving props to 20 points. Anybody can get 20 points now. That's good but that's not good enough."
Shaq slams Zion’s 22-10-12 performance
"You giving him props for that? I need more. Anybody can get 20 points now. That's not good enough. I'm not impressed by that"😅
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24 ) pic.twitter.com/oJENda9hH5
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 12, 2025
Williamson has battled back from injuries in recent years. Still, O'Neal refused to give him a pass.
"If they're in third or fourth-place, and you got those numbers, I'm impressed but I'm not impressed with that," O'Neal said. "You need to do more Zion. I love you."
NBA PIONEER PASSES AWAY
Former NBA player Junior Bridgeman was part of an exclusive NBA club.
He was one of the four players in the league to become a millionaire, joining Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Magic Johnson. On Tuesday, Bridgeman died unexpectedly. He was 71.
Johnson was among the first to express his condolences.
"I’m saddened to hear of the passing of my friend Junior Bridgeman," Johnson wrote on X. "I had the privilege of playing against him, and I’ll never forget how he had one of the sweetest jump shots in the NBA. But it was his character, his kindness, and his gentle soul that truly left a lasting impression on me. He was one of the nicest guys you would ever want to meet.
Bridgeman played 12 seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks before building a successful business empire after retiring in 1987.
"What people don’t realize is Junior didn’t make a fortune as a player, but he turned what he earned into something extraordinary, becoming a billionaire African American businessman in this country," Johnson continued. "His business portfolio included owning 450 Wendy’s and Chili’s franchises in 20 states, Coca-Cola bottling operations in the US and Canada, Ebony and Jet magazines, Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, and he was a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks. Junior also served on the boards of PGA of America, Churchill Downs Inc, Fifth Third Bank, Jackson Hewitt, Governors Scholar Program, Crusade for Children Foundation, University of Louisville’s Board of Trustees, Louisville Arena Authority, and more. He is the blueprint to so many current and former athletes across sports that success doesn’t end when you're done playing."
The league also released a statement.
“I am devastated to learn of the sudden passing of Junior Bridgeman," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. "Junior was the ultimate entrepreneur who built on his impactful 12-year NBA playing career by becoming a highly respected and successful business leader. He served as a mentor to generations of NBA players and athletes across sports who were eager to learn from him about what it takes to thrive in the business world. Junior was a dedicated member of the NBA family for 50 years – most recently as a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, an investor in NBA Africa and as a player who set the standard for representing the league and our game with class and dignity. We express our heartfelt condolences to Junior’s wife, Doris, their children, Eden, Justin and Ryan, the Bucks organization, and his many friends and admirers in the basketball community.”
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day NBA. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com