NBA Q&A: Shaquille O'Neal

Courtesy of Darnell Mayberry

Q: How easy was it for you to transition into television?I still try to get better every year, every day. It’s going to take me some (time). This is only my third year. But by the time it’s all said and done, I’ll be on the same level as Ernie (Johnson). Guaranteed.

What about the chemistry? Did you feel like you had that instant chemistry with the guys?I knew I would because I’m a team player and I know how to gel in. And I think I bring a little something extra to the show. I just wanted to bring a lot more humor to the show…I’m all about humor. I’m an expert on humor.

What about being back here in this state for the All-Star Game?It makes me jealous. I still wish I was playing. A lot of these guys today, even though they’re great players, they don’t know how to really put on a show. Every All-Star Game, you remember, I put on a show. So I would have came out with a (expletive) Mardi Gras band. I would have had a camera follow me through Bourbon Street when they announced my name, and whoever was on Bourbon Street with me getting in free. I would have turned this thing out.

What do you think about the Slam Dunk contest and what they’ve done with it?I don’t like the rules. I’ve been told not to kill it. So I’m not going to really kill it. Let’s just say I don’t like it for the sake of, it’s not what I remember when I was young. So I just hate when the powers that be change something because they think it’s better. I respect the powers that be if they get all the (greats) together and say ‘OK, what can we do to make it better?’ It’s easy. This is what they got to do. With all this sponsor money going around, for example, Mercedes Benz is one of our sponsors. Put one of them new 2015 things on the floor. Spin it around. The No. 1 guy gets this. The second-place guy gets 50 guys on a private jet. With all these partners we got, third-place winner gets an opportunity to invest in Smoothie King franchises. Them (expletives) would come out.

Who’s on your Mount Rushmore?I don’t know. I’d have to really, really look at the criteria. You got to put Jordan on there, no questions asked. And then some people say Magic and Bird. But me being a big guy, you got to give one of those spots to a big guy…You’ll never get 11 championships. Bill Russell, you got to put him on there. That fourth spot is always up in the air. But me personally, you got to put a big guy on there.