C's overcoming 3-point woes is great sign for title chances originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics often lived and died by the 3-point shot throughout the regular season. The Orlando Magic forced the reigning NBA champions to play a different style out of the gate in the playoffs, and they passed their first test with flying colors.

Boston clinched the first-round series 4-1 despite struggling against Orlando’s stingy 3-point defense. After making only nine 3s in Games 3 and 4, the C’s prevailed with a 120-89 Game 5 victory after shooting 0-for-6 from distance in the first half.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla preached throughout the series about the importance of winning on the margins: rebounding, taking care of the basketball, and defending without fouling. Those proved key to Boston’s wins and were evident in the second half of Tuesday’s blowout.

“Yeah, we didn’t turn it over in the third quarter,” Mazzulla said. “It’s that simple. Occam’s Razor.”

Occam’s Razor is a problem-solving principle that suggests the simplest explanation is usually the best. In this case, that’s true.

The Celtics actually didn’t turn the ball over at all in the entire second half after tallying nine turnovers in the first. They outrebounded the Magic 20-17 and had seven fouls to Orlando’s 10 — including star Paolo Banchero’s game-changing fifth foul — over the final 24 minutes.

Boston ended up with more made more 3s (13) than Orlando (eight) but were -14 in 3-point attempts (24 to 38). That is by far the C’s worst margin of the season, with their previous worst of -8 coming against the Brooklyn Nets on March 15.

“Orlando did a good job of trying to make us play a different style of ball, and I think we adjusted to that well,” Celtics star Jaylen Brown said. “They wanted to take away our 3-point shooting. … I think it was a great challenge for us, and I think it’s a great step for us moving forward.”

Brown capped off his solid series with 23 points (9-18 FG) and six rebounds. His co-star Jayson Tatum erupted for a game-high 35 points (10-16 FG, 4-5 3-PT) with 10 assists and eight rebounds, making NBA playoff history in the process.

The tandem will look to carry that momentum into the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they will meet either the Detroit Pistons or New York Knicks. Regardless of who they face, Mazzulla is sticking with the same keys to victory.

“The margins,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to rebound. We’ve got to be able to defend without fouling. We’ve got to take care of the basketball.”

The Celtics may not be able to get away with poor 3-point shooting against the Knicks or the top-seed Cleveland Cavaliers, both of whom ranked top five in offensive rating. Still, it’s encouraging that they won’t have to rely solely on 3s falling to have a shot at their second straight NBA title.

The Knicks have a 3-2 series lead heading into Thursday’s Game 6 in Detroit. The Celtics will rest up with the second-round series likely to start early next week.

Giannis Antetokounmpo explains heated incident with Tyrese Haliburton's dad originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Indiana Pacers knocked out the Milwaukee Bucks from the NBA playoffs Tuesday with a gentlemen’s sweep, and emotions ran high not long after.

Milwaukee held a 118-111 overtime lead and looked to extend the series in the first game after Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear.

But Doc Rivers’ side stunningly blew the cushion and lost 119-118, ending the Bucks’ season and potentially Giannis Antetokounmpo’s final game with the franchise that drafted him.

After the game, Antetokounmpo got into heated conversations with some Indiana players — and the father of Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.

The two were forehead to forehead for a few seconds exchanging words before being separated.

Shortly after the clip went viral on social media, new angles emerged on Haliburton’s dad appearing to provoke Antetokounmpo before they exchanged words.

Haliburton addressed the incident involving his father in his post-game conference, saying his dad was in the wrong and that he’ll reach out to Antetokounmpo to ensure there’s no bad blood.

Antetokounmpo detailed what happened when Haliburton’s dad provoked him, but Antetokounmpo didn’t know who the fan was until later and showed respect to Haliburton.

“Losing the game. The emotions run high,” Antetokounmpo explained. “Having a fan, which at the moment I thought he was a fan, but then I realize it was Tyrese’s son, which I love Tyrese. I think he’s a great competitor. It was his dad, sorry. Coming in the floor and showing me his son, a towel with his face, this is what we do. This is what we F-ing do. This what the F we do. This… I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful.”

Antetokounmpo also mentioned being “humble in victory,” as he has won a championship in his career while the Pacers have not.

Haliburton’s father, John, later posted to social media apologizing to Giannis, the Bucks and the Pacers.

Haliburton scored the game-winning layup in the closing seconds to avoid a Game 6, with a series against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers up next.

Meanwhile for Milwaukee, the future could get dark if Antetokounmpo chooses to leave via a trade. The Bucks don’t have a competitive roster and Antetokounmpo turns 31 in December.

With Lillard’s Achilles tear and Kyle Kuzma not providing help after Khris Middleton faded away, Antetokounmpo’s best shot at winning may lie elsewhere. Milwaukee’s pool of young talent and draft picks are both stark, too.

Giannis Antetokounmpo explains heated incident with Tyrese Haliburton's dad originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Indiana Pacers knocked out the Milwaukee Bucks from the NBA playoffs Tuesday with a gentlemen’s sweep, and emotions ran high not long after.

Milwaukee held a 118-111 overtime lead and looked to extend the series in the first game after Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear.

But Doc Rivers’ side stunningly blew the cushion and lost 119-118, ending the Bucks’ season and potentially Giannis Antetokounmpo’s final game with the franchise that drafted him.

After the game, Antetokounmpo got into heated conversations with some Indiana players — and the father of Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.

The two were forehead to forehead for a few seconds exchanging words before being separated.

Shortly after the clip went viral on social media, new angles emerged on Haliburton’s dad appearing to provoke Antetokounmpo before they exchanged words.

Haliburton addressed the incident involving his father in his post-game conference, saying his dad was in the wrong and that he’ll reach out to Antetokounmpo to ensure there’s no bad blood.

Antetokounmpo detailed what happened when Haliburton’s dad provoked him, but Antetokounmpo didn’t know who the fan was until later and showed respect to Haliburton.

“Losing the game. The emotions run high,” Antetokounmpo explained. “Having a fan, which at the moment I thought he was a fan, but then I realize it was Tyrese’s son, which I love Tyrese. I think he’s a great competitor. It was his dad, sorry. Coming in the floor and showing me his son, a towel with his face, this is what we do. This is what we F-ing do. This what the F we do. This… I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful.”

Antetokounmpo also mentioned being “humble in victory,” as he has won a championship in his career while the Pacers have not.

Haliburton’s father, John, later posted to social media apologizing to Giannis, the Bucks and the Pacers.

Haliburton scored the game-winning layup in the closing seconds to avoid a Game 6, with a series against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers up next.

Meanwhile for Milwaukee, the future could get dark if Antetokounmpo chooses to leave via a trade. The Bucks don’t have a competitive roster and Antetokounmpo turns 31 in December.

With Lillard’s Achilles tear and Kyle Kuzma not providing help after Khris Middleton faded away, Antetokounmpo’s best shot at winning may lie elsewhere. Milwaukee’s pool of young talent and draft picks are both stark, too.

Tatum makes more NBA playoff history with dominant Game 5 vs. Magic originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

There’s consistent excellence, and then there are Jayson Tatum’s last three playoff games with the Boston Celtics.

Tatum delivered a brilliant all-around performance Tuesday night in Game 5 of Boston’s first-round playoff series with the Orlando Magic, racking up a game-high 35 points on 10 for 16 shooting (4 for 5 from 3-point range) to go along with eight rebounds and 10 assists. Tatum also went a perfect 11 for 11 from the free-throw line to help the Celtics rout the Magic 120-89 and win the series 4-1.

That effort earned Tatum a place in the record books, as he’s the first player in NBA history to make 10-plus free throws without a miss in three consecutive playoff games. Here’s a look at Tatum’s stats in his last three games:

• Game 3: 36 points, 12 for 12 FT
• Game 4: 37 points, 14 for 14 FT
• Game 5: 35 points, 11 for 11 FT

That’s right: Tatum went 37 for 37 at the free throw line over a three-game span and missed just four free throws in the entire five-game series (37 for 41).

The Magic, who allowed the fewest 3-pointers per game to opponents this season, made a concerted effort to limit the Celtics’ 3-point attack. But Tatum countered by aggressively getting to the basket and drawing fouls, then making them count at the charity stripe.

“He did a great job of staying patient and going through his progressions,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said of Tatum after the game. “At the end of the day, every game is different. Every team is different. You have to be ready to answer the call. And I thought he did that.”

Tatum’s history-making wasn’t limited to his free throws, either: According to Celtics stats guru Dick Lipe, the All-Star forward is the first player ever to have at least 35 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, four 3-pointers and a shooting line of at least 60 percent from the floor, 80 percent from 3 and 100 percent from the line in one game — regular season or playoffs.

As for Tatum’s three straight playoff games with 35-plus points? He’s only the second Celtics player to accomplish that feat, joining Hall of Famer Larry Bird (1987 Eastern Conference Finals vs. Detroit Pistons).

Tatum’s dominance in Games 3, 4 and 5 is all the more impressive considering he missed Game 2 with a right wrist injury after suffering a bone bruise in Game 1. The ailment clearly didn’t impact him the rest of the series, however, as he was the catalyst for Boston overcoming a physical Orlando team and advancing to the second round.

The Celtics await the winner of the New York Knicks-Detroit Pistons series, which the Knicks lead 3-2. Game 6 of that series is set for Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Giannis Antetokounmpo explains heated incident with Tyrese Haliburton's dad originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Indiana Pacers knocked out the Milwaukee Bucks from the NBA playoffs Tuesday with a gentlemen’s sweep, and emotions ran high not long after.

Milwaukee held a 118-111 overtime lead and looked to extend the series in the first game after Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear.

But Doc Rivers’ side stunningly blew the cushion and lost 119-118, ending the Bucks’ season and potentially Giannis Antetokounmpo’s final game with the franchise that drafted him.

After the game, Antetokounmpo got into heated conversations with some Indiana players — and the father of Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.

The two were forehead to forehead for a few seconds exchanging words before being separated.

Shortly after the clip went viral on social media, new angles emerged on Haliburton’s dad appearing to provoke Antetokounmpo before they exchanged words.

Haliburton addressed the incident involving his father in his post-game conference, saying his dad was in the wrong and that he’ll reach out to Antetokounmpo to ensure there’s no bad blood.

Antetokounmpo detailed what happened when Haliburton’s dad provoked him, but Antetokounmpo didn’t know who the fan was until later and showed respect to Haliburton.

“Losing the game. The emotions run high,” Antetokounmpo explained. “Having a fan, which at the moment I thought he was a fan, but then I realize it was Tyrese’s son, which I love Tyrese. I think he’s a great competitor. It was his dad, sorry. Coming in the floor and showing me his son, a towel with his face, this is what we do. This is what we F-ing do. This what the F we do. This… I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful.”

Antetokounmpo also mentioned being “humble in victory,” as he has won a championship in his career while the Pacers have not.

Haliburton’s father, John, later posted to social media apologizing to Giannis, the Bucks and the Pacers.

Haliburton scored the game-winning layup in the closing seconds to avoid a Game 6, with a series against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers up next.

Meanwhile for Milwaukee, the future could get dark if Antetokounmpo chooses to leave via a trade. The Bucks don’t have a competitive roster and Antetokounmpo turns 31 in December.

With Lillard’s Achilles tear and Kyle Kuzma not providing help after Khris Middleton faded away, Antetokounmpo’s best shot at winning may lie elsewhere. Milwaukee’s pool of young talent and draft picks are both stark, too.

Why Mosley ‘absolutely loves' coaching against Mazzulla originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — The first-round NBA playoff series between the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic has featured two entirely different coaching philosophies. Despite trailing 3-1 heading into Tuesday’s Game 5, Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley has enjoyed the “chess match” against Joe Mazzulla.

Mosley was asked before the matchup about taking on the reigning champion Celtics coach.

“I absolutely love it,” Mosley said. “Joe is an incredible coach. He does a great job of putting his guys in the right position, the right spaces after time-outs, finding different situations to put guys in that have you constantly thinking throughout the game.

“This is the part of coaching that you love, that chess match of trying to figure out what you can do without overthinking it, and putting yourself in a situation where you have to worry about not doing what you’re capable of doing because you’re chasing something that they’re doing.”

The Mazzulla-led Celtics are the best 3-point shooting team in the NBA. The Magic are the worst from beyond the arc, but no team has been better all season at defending the 3-point shot.

“It is our identity,” Mosley said, noting the importance of Orlando sticking to its game plan even on the brink of elimination.

Although it hasn’t translated to a series lead, the Magic have succeeded in limiting Boston’s 3s. The C’s made only nine 3s in their Game 4 win, nine in their Game 3 defeat, and 12 in their Game 2 victory. They averaged 17.8 3-pointers per game during the regular season.

Mosley’s defensive-minded Magic will have to keep Mazzulla’s high-powered Celtics in check from deep again in Game 5 to bring the series back to Orlando. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.

Spurs' Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Stephon Castle made no secret about it: He wanted to be rookie of the year.

And he got it done — by a wide margin.

The San Antonio Spurs now have back-to-back winners of the award, with Victor Wembanyama last year and Castle this season. Castle was the fifth rookie in Spurs history to score more than 1,000 points.

It was one-sided in the voting. Castle got 92 first-place votes, easily topping runner-up Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and third-place finisher Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies. Risacher got five first-place votes, Wells got the other three.

“Coming in with all the confidence that I had in myself as a player, that was definitely a goal of mine from Day 1,” Castle said on TNT, which broadcast the unveiling of the results. “I’m just happy I was able to execute it.”

Castle’s win marked the second time in more than a half-century that one franchise went back-to-back with the top-rookie honor. Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (now of Miami) and Karl-Anthony Towns (now of New York) were voted rookies of the year in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

The last instance of a team going back-to-back before that: 1973 and 1974, when Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio pulled it off for the Buffalo Braves.

“I get so excited watching him play,” said Chris Paul, Castle’s backcourt mate this season in San Antonio. “The first thing that I want to see in a teammate or anybody is how competitive they are. That’ll take you further than talent any day. And I saw immediately was that he was competitive. I was like, ‘OK, cool. This is going to be easy.’”

Castle led all rookies this season in points (1,190) and steals (74). Risacher finished strong, winning Eastern Conference rookie of the month for both February and March. Wells led all rookies in games started (74) and 3-pointers made (138, matching the total posted by Washington’s Bub Carrington).

Risacher — who hails from France, like Wembanyama — was looking to give the NBA the first instance of international players winning the award in consecutive years since Australia’s Ben Simmons and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic in 2018 and 2019. Wells was bidding to be Memphis’ first rookie of the year since Ja Morant in 2020.

The rookie of the year award was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly after the end of the regular season.

The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland’s Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York’s Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year, and Boston’s Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.

On Wednesday, the most improved player — Cade Cunningham of Detroit, Dyson Daniels of Atlanta, or Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers — will be announced, also at 7 p.m. EDT on TNT.

Other awards announced by the league since the end of the regular season: Golden State’s Stephen Curry won the Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year award and Warriors teammate Draymond Green won the hustle award.

Spurs' Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Stephon Castle made no secret about it: He wanted to be rookie of the year.

And he got it done — by a wide margin.

The San Antonio Spurs now have back-to-back winners of the award, with Victor Wembanyama last year and Castle this season. Castle was the fifth rookie in Spurs history to score more than 1,000 points.

It was one-sided in the voting. Castle got 92 first-place votes, easily topping runner-up Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and third-place finisher Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies. Risacher got five first-place votes, Wells got the other three.

“Coming in with all the confidence that I had in myself as a player, that was definitely a goal of mine from Day 1,” Castle said on TNT, which broadcast the unveiling of the results. “I’m just happy I was able to execute it.”

Castle’s win marked the second time in more than a half-century that one franchise went back-to-back with the top-rookie honor. Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (now of Miami) and Karl-Anthony Towns (now of New York) were voted rookies of the year in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

The last instance of a team going back-to-back before that: 1973 and 1974, when Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio pulled it off for the Buffalo Braves.

“I get so excited watching him play,” said Chris Paul, Castle’s backcourt mate this season in San Antonio. “The first thing that I want to see in a teammate or anybody is how competitive they are. That’ll take you further than talent any day. And I saw immediately was that he was competitive. I was like, ‘OK, cool. This is going to be easy.’”

Castle led all rookies this season in points (1,190) and steals (74). Risacher finished strong, winning Eastern Conference rookie of the month for both February and March. Wells led all rookies in games started (74) and 3-pointers made (138, matching the total posted by Washington’s Bub Carrington).

Risacher — who hails from France, like Wembanyama — was looking to give the NBA the first instance of international players winning the award in consecutive years since Australia’s Ben Simmons and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic in 2018 and 2019. Wells was bidding to be Memphis’ first rookie of the year since Ja Morant in 2020.

The rookie of the year award was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly after the end of the regular season.

The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland’s Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York’s Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year, and Boston’s Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.

On Wednesday, the most improved player — Cade Cunningham of Detroit, Dyson Daniels of Atlanta, or Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers — will be announced, also at 7 p.m. EDT on TNT.

Other awards announced by the league since the end of the regular season: Golden State’s Stephen Curry won the Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year award and Warriors teammate Draymond Green won the hustle award.

Spurs' Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Stephon Castle made no secret about it: He wanted to be rookie of the year.

And he got it done — by a wide margin.

The San Antonio Spurs now have back-to-back winners of the award, with Victor Wembanyama last year and Castle this season. Castle was the fifth rookie in Spurs history to score more than 1,000 points.

It was one-sided in the voting. Castle got 92 first-place votes, easily topping runner-up Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and third-place finisher Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies. Risacher got five first-place votes, Wells got the other three.

“Coming in with all the confidence that I had in myself as a player, that was definitely a goal of mine from Day 1,” Castle said on TNT, which broadcast the unveiling of the results. “I’m just happy I was able to execute it.”

Castle’s win marked the second time in more than a half-century that one franchise went back-to-back with the top-rookie honor. Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (now of Miami) and Karl-Anthony Towns (now of New York) were voted rookies of the year in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

The last instance of a team going back-to-back before that: 1973 and 1974, when Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio pulled it off for the Buffalo Braves.

“I get so excited watching him play,” said Chris Paul, Castle’s backcourt mate this season in San Antonio. “The first thing that I want to see in a teammate or anybody is how competitive they are. That’ll take you further than talent any day. And I saw immediately was that he was competitive. I was like, ‘OK, cool. This is going to be easy.’”

Castle led all rookies this season in points (1,190) and steals (74). Risacher finished strong, winning Eastern Conference rookie of the month for both February and March. Wells led all rookies in games started (74) and 3-pointers made (138, matching the total posted by Washington’s Bub Carrington).

Risacher — who hails from France, like Wembanyama — was looking to give the NBA the first instance of international players winning the award in consecutive years since Australia’s Ben Simmons and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic in 2018 and 2019. Wells was bidding to be Memphis’ first rookie of the year since Ja Morant in 2020.

The rookie of the year award was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly after the end of the regular season.

The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland’s Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York’s Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year, and Boston’s Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.

On Wednesday, the most improved player — Cade Cunningham of Detroit, Dyson Daniels of Atlanta, or Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers — will be announced, also at 7 p.m. EDT on TNT.

Other awards announced by the league since the end of the regular season: Golden State’s Stephen Curry won the Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year award and Warriors teammate Draymond Green won the hustle award.

Hield wears epic ‘Excluding Buddy' T-shirt after Butler post originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

On Tuesday, Buddy Hield continued his playful banter with Jimmy Butler with a humorous fashion choice.

As the Warriors boarded a plane to Houston for a pivotal Game 5 against the Rockets, Hield walked onto the aircraft wearing a T-shirt that read, “Excluding Buddy.”

The shirt was a humorous nod to a social media post from Butler following Golden State’s Game 3 win over Houston on Saturday night at Chase Center.

In that game, the Butler-less Warriors fended off the Rockets, thanks partly to Hield, who scored 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field.

Hield and Butler have been trading playful jabs since the latter joined Golden State via trade in February. The move created a definite vibe shift for the franchise, altering their trajectory and putting them on the precipice of winning a first-round playoff series for the first time since 2023.

Butler, Hield and the rest of the Warriors hope the good vibes can continue at Toyota Center on Wednesday night. Houston will be laser-focused on derailing Golden State’s shooters and bludgeoning them whenever possible.

Expect a lot of Butler, Hield and Steph Curry in what promises to be another physically grueling game. The trio likely will have to don their superhero capes once again to vanquish the villainous Dillon Brooks and the Rockets.

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Rename the school Shaqramento State. Or perhaps Shaq State will do.

Sacramento State announced Tuesday that it hired outsized personality and hoops icon Shaquille O’Neal as general manager of its forlorn men's basketball program. OK, so maybe hired isn't an accurate term because O'Neal — whose net worth is estimated at $500 million — will do the job on a voluntary basis.

But Shaq nevertheless assumes a role that has become increasingly popular in the NCAA in the age of name, image and likeness, and the Lakers great will attempt to help turn around a program that finished 7-25 and last in the Big Sky Conference last season. Sac State has had all of two winning seasons in program history and has never made the NCAA tournament.

Shaq isn't the only addition. Earlier this month, the Hornets hired former Sacramento Kings star Mike Bibby as coach. One of Bibby's first moves was to add O'Neal's son, senior forward Shaqir O'Neal, a transfer from Florida A&M, where he averaged 6.7 points and 3.2 rebounds a game last season.

Read more:What feud? Shaq agrees to walk Dwight Howard out at Hall of Fame induction: 'That's my guy'

Shaqir began his high school career at Crossroads in Santa Monica before transferring to a school in Georgia. He spent two seasons as a reserve at Texas Southern before transferring to Florida A&M a year ago.

Bibby has no college coaching experience but recently led his high school alma mater Phoenix Shadow Mountain to five state championships. He plans to go for the glamour in Sacramento. He made that clear at his news conference upon being hired April 1.

“I’m going to turn this around," he said. "I have a lot of NBA players who want to send their sons to me to play. We can get kids. We’re going to try to have that Deion [Sanders] impact. We’ll have superstars in the building, active NBA players stop by.”

Sacramento State will open a new basketball facility on campus in the fall, leaving behind the Nest, the decrepit current arena that seats only 1,012 people and is one of the oldest NCAA Division I venues.

Read more:Shaquille O'Neal says Colorado's Deion Sanders reminds him of ex-coach Phil Jackson

Transforming the Hornets into winners will be a daunting task for O'Neal, who already has a busy schedule. He is a longtime NBA analyst for TNT and oversees a business empire that according to a Times article in 2023 has included 155 Five Guys restaurants, 40 24-Hour Fitness gyms, 20 Big Chicken outlets, 17 Auntie Anne’s pretzel stands, nine Papa John’s pizzerias and at least one Krispy Kreme doughnut shop.

Shaq has appeared in commercials for Icy Hot, the General insurance, Buick, Frosted Flakes, the Carnival Cruise Line, Epson, Novex Biotech, Reebok, Google, Pepsi, Ring, Gold Bond, JCPenney, Tonka and WynnBet sports betting. Partnering with the sports betting business forced O'Neal to sell his minority stake in Sacramento's NBA team, the Kings, three years ago.

How extensive are O’Neal’s business holdings? He's hosted a Shaq Summit for several years to corral representatives from all of his brands and partnerships into one room for strategic planning.

How much time can O'Neal devote to Sacramento State? Serving as GM of a Division I athletics program involves more than glad-handing and bringing in talent via grins and a magnetic personality. The position gained prominence soon after NIL legislation was passed in 2021 that overturned the long-held NCAA stance preventing athletes from getting paid.

Read more:From franchises to Frosted Flakes, Shaquille O'Neal has changed what it means to be a retired athlete

Sure, some GMs are prominent sports figures — witness Andrew Luck at Stanford and Stephen Curry at Davidson — but logging long days on campus would seem a key part of the job description.

Sacramento State, long considered a bottom-rung athletics program amid the far-flung California State University system, has ambitions. The football program hopes to build a new stadium and upgrade from the FCS to the FBS.

A basketball program can flip from perennial losers to winners more easily than football because it can take only a few standout players to change fortunes. Shaq knows that firsthand, along with Kobe Bryant spearheading the transformation of a middling Lakers period in the late 1990s into three consecutive NBA championships beginning in the 1999-2000 season.

Can he trigger something similar at Sacramento State? If so, calling the school Shaqramento State might indeed be appropriate.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.