Shaquille O’Neal Shocks Fans: “I’m Done Watching the NBA Finals”
On a humid June evening in Atlanta, the bright lights of the NBA TV studio shone down on Shaquille O’Neal. The Hall of Fame center, four-time NBA champion, and beloved TV analyst was in rare form, joking with producers and sipping from a cup that, as he would later admit, “wasn’t water.” But when the cameras rolled and the topic turned to the 2025 NBA Finals, Shaq’s trademark grin faded. What he said next would ripple across the basketball world.
“I’m done watching the NBA Finals,” Shaq declared, his deep voice echoing across the studio. “I’m going to the Bahamas. I won’t even be watching.”
The statement landed like a thunderclap. For decades, Shaquille O’Neal had been one of the NBA’s most prominent ambassadors—a living bridge between the league’s golden past and its ever-evolving present. His presence on Inside the NBA and NBA TV had made him a fixture in the lives of basketball fans, his opinions as influential as his dunks had once been. And yet, here he was, publicly checking out of the biggest series of the year.
A Finals Few Expected
To be fair, the 2025 NBA Finals were not what most pundits had predicted. Instead of the familiar faces from Los Angeles, Boston, or Miami, the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder had clawed their way through the playoffs to meet on basketball’s biggest stage. Both franchises, considered small-market teams, boasted rosters full of young, hungry players but lacked the national star power that typically drives ratings and headlines.
Game 1 had been a nail-biter, with Indiana stealing a road win in Oklahoma City. Game 2 saw the Thunder storm back to even the series. By all accounts, it was shaping up to be a competitive matchup. But for Shaq—and, as it turned out, many others—the Finals simply didn’t have the same pull.
“I’m just glad it’s not the old format, that 2-3-2,” Shaq mused on air, referencing the now-retired system that once determined home-court advantage in the Finals. “So now we have a series. But I won’t even be watching. I’m gonna be in the Bahamas.”
He raised his cup, ice clinking, and flashed a mischievous smile. “This ain’t water,” he said, as if to underline his detachment with a wink.
The Broader Malaise
Shaq’s admission wasn’t just a personal decision—it was a symptom of a larger trend. For weeks, league insiders had whispered about the Finals’ low television ratings. With two small-market teams and a lack of household names, the opening game drew a 4.7 rating and 8.91 million viewers on ABC, the lowest for a Finals opener since Nielsen began tracking in 1988 (excluding the pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021). Compared to the 2024 opener between the Celtics and Mavericks, ratings were down 18%, and viewership had dropped by 19%.
It wasn’t just the fans who were tuning out. Even some of the league’s most prominent figures admitted to a lack of interest. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who led Boston to the championship the previous year, confessed earlier in the season, “I don’t watch NBA games. I’d rather do just about anything else.” His words, meant half in jest, nonetheless reflected a broader sense of fatigue among those closest to the sport.
The Changing NBA Landscape
The NBA had spent years trying to cultivate parity, encouraging the rise of new contenders and spreading talent across the league. In many ways, the 2025 Finals were the culmination of that effort: two young, dynamic teams, each with a passionate local fanbase, slugging it out for a championship. But the league’s dream of widespread appeal had collided with the reality of television economics. Big markets and big stars still drew the biggest crowds—and, crucially, the biggest ratings.
For Commissioner Adam Silver, Shaq’s comments were a gut punch. The NBA had always prided itself on the loyalty and engagement of its retired stars. When a legend like Shaquille O’Neal publicly declared his disinterest, it sent a worrying message—not just to fans, but to sponsors, networks, and future players.
Why the Detachment?
What was driving this sense of detachment? For Shaq, it seemed to be a mix of personal preference and professional fatigue. He was not scheduled to cover the Finals beyond the first two games; Charles Barkley, his longtime sparring partner from Inside the NBA, would be joining the broadcast for Games 3 and 4. With his obligations finished, Shaq was free to unwind—and, as he made clear, he planned to do exactly that.
But his words resonated with a broader sense of ennui. The NBA calendar had grown longer, the games more frequent, and the storylines more repetitive. For many, the Finals no longer felt like must-see TV—they were just another set of games in a never-ending season.
The Fans’ Perspective
For fans in Indiana and Oklahoma City, the Finals were a dream come true. Local bars overflowed with blue and gold, and children wore the jerseys of their new heroes. But for the national audience, the series lacked the drama and narrative heft of previous years. There were no dynasties on the line, no legends chasing one last ring. Instead, there were two teams searching for respect in a league that often seemed indifferent to their existence.
On social media, debates raged. Some fans applauded Shaq’s honesty, agreeing that the Finals had lost their luster. Others criticized him for abandoning the league at its most crucial moment. “If Shaq doesn’t care, why should we?” one fan tweeted, echoing a sentiment that was becoming all too common.
The Way Forward
The NBA faces a crossroads. Its efforts to democratize the league have succeeded in creating competitive balance, but at the cost of the star-driven narratives that fuel ratings and engagement. As the Finals continue, the league must grapple with a difficult question: How can it sustain national interest when even its legends are tuning out?
For Shaquille O’Neal, the answer was simple. The Bahamas beckoned, and the Finals would go on without him. For the NBA, the challenge is just beginning.
As Game 3 tipped off in Indianapolis, the stands were packed and the energy was electric. But somewhere far from the action, on a sun-drenched beach, Shaq sipped his drink, the sound of the ocean replacing the roar of the crowd. For the first time in years, the Finals would have to capture the world’s imagination without one of its biggest fans.
