Shaquille O’Neal didn’t mince words when discussing the NBA gambling scandal.
The accused include:
- Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.
- Retired NBA player Damon Jones.
- Then Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups.
“All these guys knew what was at stake, and I’m just ashamed that they put themselves and put their family and put the NBA in this position,” O’Neal said on an ESPN broadcast.
“We all know the rules. We all know the letter of the law. And it’s just unfortunate — you know, innocent till proven guilty, but usually when the FBI has something, they have you. I know a lot of people in the FBI… When they come knocking on your door, they have something. We all know the letter of the law when it comes to gambling and sports gambling.”
Shaq added, “I know everybody that’s at play, and I don’t like this…” He said he had never gambled “at anyone’s house.”
Shaquille O’Neal Lamented That the Accused Players & Coach Put ‘Their Families & Their Careers in Jeopardy’
O’Neal said he knows some of the people affected.
“I know Chauncey. I know Damon very well, played with Damon. … I’m ashamed that those guys will put their families and their careers in jeopardy,” he said, according to ESPN.
“There’s an old saying in the hood, all money ain’t good money. So if you’re making $9 million…like, how much more do you need? Especially if you know you get caught, you can do jail time, lose your career, you know, put a bad image on yourself or your family or on the NBA….They dropped the ball. You never want to have your name involved in that…”
The comments were made on “Inside the NBA” on ESPN.
In one of the indictments, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the filing of a “seven-count indictment…charging 31 defendants in criminal schemes to rig illegal poker games at various locations in New York City, East Hampton, New York, and throughout the United States.”
“This morning, 31 defendants were arrested in 11 states, including members and associates of the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese organized crime families of La Cosa Nostra (LCN); Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA); and Damon Jones, also known as ‘Dee,’ a former NBA player with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat,” the DOJ’s statement says. “The defendants will make initial court appearances this afternoon at federal courthouses throughout the United States, including the Eastern District of New York.”
In a separate indictment, Rozier was charged with other defendants and accused of a “wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy for their alleged roles in a scheme to use inside information from National Basketball Association (NBA) players and coaches to profit from illegal betting activity.”
Charles Barkley Also Weighed in, Calling ‘These Dudes’ Stupid
NBA legend Charles Barkley also weighed in on the scandal during the broadcast.
“This ain’t got nothing to do with addiction. These dudes are stupid,” Barkley said. “Why are they stupid? You under no circumstances can you fix basketball games. Under no circumstances. … Like, Rozier makes $26 million. Him betting, giving people information or taking himself out of games — how much is he going to benefit taking himself out the game to get unders?”
Barkley added: “You can’t fix ball games. Like I said, this is separate from Chauncey, but the notion that guys are making all this money and giving information — come on, man, stop that. That got nothing to do with addiction. That’s just total stupidity on these two dudes parts.”
