Shaquille O’Neal urges Victor Wembanyama to use his size and play ‘meaner’
In a Variety interview published as the NBA season opened, O’Neal pointed to size mismatches and physical play during San Antonio’s Finals loss to New York.
Shaquille O’Neal urged San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama to play more physically and use his height against smaller defenders in an interview with Variety published on 20 October, as the 2026–27 NBA season opened. O’Neal drew on the Spurs’ NBA Finals loss to the New York Knicks to explain what he wanted Wembanyama to change.
O’Neal told Variety he liked a moment in the Finals when Wembanyama threw Knicks guard Jalen Brunson to the floor, but wanted to see that intensity more consistently. ‘I like Wemby, and that was a mean moment, but I’d like you to be mean all the time,’ he said.
O’Neal’s advice on Wembanyama’s shot selection
The former NBA center argued that Wembanyama should take greater advantage of his height when a smaller defender switches onto him. O’Neal said he did not think Wembanyama should shoot a jumper in that matchup, particularly when shooting threes is difficult in high-pressure games. ‘I’m not saying be a post guy,’ he told Variety; he wanted Wembanyama to ‘read and react a little bit different.’
O’Neal also cited Knicks guard Jose Alvarado’s physical defense against Wembanyama in the Finals. He argued that Wembanyama should respond more forcefully when a smaller opponent tries to box him out. Despite the criticism, O’Neal called him a ‘fabulous player’ and a ‘great shooter’ who has ‘all the tools.’
Spurs’ Finals defeat frames the criticism
San Antonio lost the Finals to New York in five games, according to an Associated Press report by Raul Dominguez published by NBA.com. Wembanyama averaged 26 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.6 blocks in the series. His production gives context to O’Neal’s criticism, which focused on particular mismatches rather than Wembanyama’s overall scoring or defense.
The Associated Press reported that the defeat motivated Wembanyama and the Spurs as they pursued becoming the league’s best. O’Neal said San Antonio had come close to winning and argued that a player on a franchise with the Spurs’ history would eventually be expected to win. His advice was an opinion about Wembanyama’s approach; it was not immediately clear whether Wembanyama would act on it.
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Sources and context
- Shaquille O’Neal’s Advice for NBA Phenom Victor Wembanyama: ‘Be Meaner’Variety; Marlow Stern interview/reporting byline
- Spurs, Wembanyama driven to complete missionThe Associated Press; Raul Dominguez (AP byline), republished by NBA.com
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.