“Least favorite journalists” – Victor Wembanyama makes his feelings clear about Shaquille O’Neal branding the modern game ‘soft’

Victor Wembanyama shared his thoughts on Shaquille O’Neal being critical of the modern NBA and calling it soft. Wembanyama responded to the four-time NBA champion, calling him one of his least favorite journalists. O’Neal is currently a member of ‘Inside the NBA’, which will move to ESPN next season.

Speaking to Kevin Hart on “Cold As Balls,” filmed in New York at the 2025 Fanatics Fest, Wembanyama was asked about legends such as Shaq, who thinks that the NBA has gone softer. He had nothing but praise for the former MVP before criticizing his work as an analyst and journalist.

“Shaq has always been one of my favorite players, but one of my least favorite journalists,” Wembanyama said, according to Le Parisien.

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Victor Wembanyama is not the prototypical big man from previous generations. He stands at nearly 7-foot-5 but can handle the ball like a point guard and shoot from beyond the arc. His defensive prowess is unlike anything the NBA has ever seen, but he has been criticised for not taking full advantage of his height inside the paint.

Nevertheless, Wembanyama still put Shaquille O'Neal in his all-time starting five alongside Steph Curry, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Tim Duncan. Kevin Hart also asked him about idolizing Kevin Durant, who has been linked to the San Antonio Spurs over the past few weeks.

Wembanyama confirmed that he's a fan of Durant. It will be interesting to see if the Spurs pull off a trade that takes their franchise back to its glory days. They have also been linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Victor Wembanyama opens up about visit to Shaolin temple in China

Amid the NBA playoffs, Victor Wembanyama went viral after shaving his head during a visit to a Shaolin temple in China. Wembanyama opened up about his experiences there in an upcoming episode of "The Shop" with LeBron James. It was also filmed at Fanatics Fest in New York City.

"I spent almost two weeks there," Wembanyama said, according to La Parisien. "I went there for several reasons. Of course, there was a spiritual dimension, but I also went there for training and physical preparation. The choice came from me. I wanted to develop my body, allow it to do things that two months ago it wasn't capable of doing, broaden my range of athletic possibilities."

Wembanyama and James were joined in "The Shop" by popular streamer Kai Cenat and legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady.

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About the author

Juan Paolo David

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry. 

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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