As the Los Angeles Lakers search for a new head coach to replace Frank Vogel, Shaquille O’Neal threw his name in the hat … sort of. During a recent episode of the Big Podcast with Shaq, the NBA legend and current basketball analyst said he would take the head coach job with the Lakers, not an assistant job, if they met his $25 million per year requirement.
“If they offered me $25 million a year for four years, I would coach the Lakers,” he said.
Rapper and actor Percy Robert Miller Sr., better known as Master P, told TMZ on Sunday that he would like to coach the Lakers with Shaq as his assistant coach. His experience with the NBA is limited as he did make the preseason roster for the Charlotte Hornets in 1998 and then made the Toronto Raptors roster the following year. However, he never made it past preseason there either.
Shaq has a good relationship with Master P, but he was straightforward when he said he would not take the assistant coach role.
“Let’s just say they have a conversation with Master P and they don’t pick him,” Shaq said. “Now I’m just going to go in as a side meeting and just say, ‘hey I know you don’t want to consider my good friend Master P, but if you want me this is the fee.”
Shaq certainly earned a lot of recognition during his NBA career and is still known as one of the best centers of all time. However, it is important to remember that a good career as a player doesn’t necessarily translate to a successful coaching career. Magic Johnson, who is considered one of the best point guards in the history of the league, coached the Lakers for 16 games during the 1993-94 season and registered a subpar 5-11 record.
Shaq is well known for not passing up a profitable opportunity, as seen by his numerous appearances in movies, TV shows and commercials. However, it is clear his schedule is busy and he likely isn’t taking the head coach job seriously. He also recently volunteered newly retired Villanova head coach Jay Wright as another option for the Lakers’ head coaching vacancy.
While Shaq creates his own list, here is the CBS Sports list of other candidates Los Angeles might consider.
