We told y’all about the news earlier this week, but yesterday it became official: Shaq is a part of the squad at TNT and Inside The NBA. He’ll be a full-time analyst. Okay, lets take bets: who’s the first player he takes a shot at? Kobe? D-Wade? Steve Nash? And how often will they play that clip from the Barkley/O’Neal fight from back in the day? Once a show? We’re assuming C-Webb gets the boot, but that’s alright. He’s a better-than-good commentator who was being overshadowed in the studio. … Kenny Smith has already taken to calling Shaq “The Big Analytical” … Shaq also said he will be very disappointed if Dwight Howard doesn’t win two or three titles because the big man has literally no competition whatsoever. The only problem with that is he’s not winning anything when he’s flanked by Hedo Turkoglu, Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson. Howard’s smart. He realizes if things in Orlando don’t turn around soon (as in the next 10 months or so), then it’ll only get worse. Out of the three 2012 superstars who have chances to be free agents next summer, who do you think is most likely to be traded/leave: Howard, CP or Deron Williams? … Jason Richardson says he wants to sign with a contender. He only has a few years left, and as someone who’s been yanked around so often the last few years, we hope someone throws a three-year deal his way. The Bulls are constantly mentioned because of their glaring hole at the two. Is that the best place for him? … Two Warriors – Stephen Curry and Dorell Wright – both said they are very interested in playing in China … Somehow, Mickael Pietrus failed a physical and won’t be able to play on France’s squad for Eurobasket 2011. If HE failed, then how did Boris Diaw pass? … If you didn’t get a chance to peep Jordan Hamilton‘s sneaker game, you need to. He showed us some heat. There are some real sneakerheads in the league, and then there are some pretenders. Jordan definitely isn’t pretending … And today’s the birthday of Twitter. It’s officially five years old. Thank God for tweeting or else we wouldn’t have heard first about Shaq’s retirement, we wouldn’t have gotten to see Spencer Hawes planking on water and there would be no such thing as @agentzeroshow (probably one of the greatest new things in the last 20 years). This lockout has actually taken Twitter to a whole other level. Athletes aren’t just tweeting What up or I’m chilling here, bout to go work out or Should I drive the Lamborghini today? No, they are going to the next level. It’ll only get crazier from here …
We’re out like TNT’s competition.
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