Shaquille O'Neal takes a U-Turn on his previous COVID-19 vaccine comments - "You shouldn't be forced to take something you don't want"

Shaquille O'Neal, who previously lambasted Kyrie Irving’s refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine, has seemingly changed his opinion on the implementation of vaccine mandates.

The Hall-of-Famer has reiterated his stance that taking the jab is important for safety and security. However, he argued that it shouldn’t be forced on people who don’t want to take the jab.

In an episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, Shaquille O'Neal surprised co-host Nischelle Turner with a U-Turn regarding the choice between work and vaccine. Here’s how the LA Lakers legend startled Turner:

“Look, I encourage everybody to be safe and take care of your family, I do. But there’s still some people that don’t wanna take it. And you shouldn't have to be forced to take something you don’t want.”

Turner, who also works for CBS, continued that her company has a vaccine mandate she willingly complies with. The Entertainment Tonight host also stressed that it's a mandate that everyone should follow before Shaq quickly re-emphasized his previous statement:

“It is forced. Because if the man don't take it, the man gonna get fired.”

Shaquille O'Neal’s statement was a bewildering 360-degree turn from his prior comments against Kyrie Irving. In September last year, at the height of the Irving drama, the four-time NBA champion lambasted the Brooklyn Nets star, saying:

“In this game of ours, sometimes you have to think about other people rather than yourself. Now, Kyrie has his views. He has his opinions. I’m not going to knock that, but he does have an obligation, because he took that 200 million.”

Earlier this year, O'Neal kept up his criticism of Irving when the Brooklyn Nets eventually conceded to his desire to play as a part-time player. He aired his continued disapproval of the Nets player on a January 20 episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq.

“If he was on my team I’d have to put hands on him… I know for a fact that these windows of winning championships, you don’t have them a lot. All that stuff just playing on the road, you can’t get in no rhythm like that.”

Had he been consistent with his previous chiding of the Nets’ point guard, he would have either refrained from making comments or supported Irving. It’s uncertain what made Shaquille O'Neal drastically change his stance, but his recent statements are likely going to raise more than a few eyebrows.

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Has Kyrie Irving been out of rhythm as Shaquille O'Neal predicted?

Kyrie Irving was heavily-critized by Shaquille O'Neal for his vaccine stance. [Photo: Sky Sports]

One of Shaq's biggest knocks on Kyrie Irving's availability only for road games is the lack of rhythm for the point guard and for the team. The Brooklyn Nets are 4-6 in the last 10 games that Irving has played on the road. They have also lost three straight games away from Barclays Center against the Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings.

However, Irving has been exceptional, particularly since Kevin Durant went down with an injury. Except for the game against the Kings where nobody on the Nets' roster could buy a basket, the mercurial point guard has carried the scoring load for the undermanned team.

The Brooklyn Nets' dismal record when Irving plays is not a full judgment of his rhythm or the team. Kevin Durant and Joe Harris are still out while James Harden is hobbled with a nagging hamstring and new issues with his hand.

At one point, the Nets were picking guys from the G-League just to compete in a game. In rhythm or out of sync, they would rather have the ultra-talented former All-Star than some randomly available guys.

Lastly, there are still a few months left in the season. Whether Shaquille O'Neal's words eventually come true will only be answered as the Brooklyn Nets' campaign goes on.