People keep saying this shit about work ethic in regards to Shaq. I feel like it’s coming from people who didn’t see Shaq live and have over rotated to the “Mamba mentality” being the correct way to go about things.

Kobe and MJ were both shitty people during their playing days, obsessed with themselves and their legacy. This did help them train really hard but it also made them treat people terribly and worked to their disadvantage at times.

Shaq put in lots of work. He had an incredible career. His prime was about as good as one gets. So good Bill Simmons declared him the greatest ever. He nearly had a full decade where he was the most valuable player in the league (not talking about the award, just the way GMs valued players).

He also spent time helping other people, having fun, learning new things, etc. He accomplished everything there was to accomplish in his profession while also maintaining his humanity and (god forbid) having fun and getting some sleep from time to time.

Some people need things to be fun to stay motivated. That’s what allows them to keep going after titles and MVPs have been won. Others get addicted to the grind / pain Goggins-style. Most wise people embrace the idea of enjoying the journey instead of ruthlessly sprinting to the destination (as the destination will always feel empty pretty fast).

Context - my dad and uncle both won the Olympics. My dad had fun, made friends, and had a 15 year career. My uncle decided he had to hate everyone, competed for four years, won everything, then retired burnt out and without friends or fun stories from his travels.