We’re at the point of the NBA offseason where the discourse has turned to ring chasing.
Now that LeBron James, set to enter his record 24th NBA season, has joined Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, a segment of fans have derided James for chasing another title.
One of the game’s all-time greats, Shaquille O’Neal, pushed back on that.
“The man is not chasing a ring; he has already gotten rings the right way,” O’Neal told For the Win’s Prince Grimes in an interview. “Towards the end of your career, if you can join up and help somebody else get a ring and continue to get rings – I call it ring continuancy, not ring chasing.”
Although James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s no longer the dominant force that he was earlier in his career. James will turn 42 in late December, but, despite that, he continues to be a valuable complementary player, and one who gives the 76ers another play-making creator.
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) reacts after scoring a basket during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Dec 28, 2021.
(Troy Taormina, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) reacts after scoring a basket during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Dec 28, 2021.
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
LeBron James answers a question during an interview session with reporters during the Los Angeles Lakers media day at the UCLA Health Training Center on Sept. 24, 2018 during his first season with the team.
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James goes up for a dunk in the second half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Staples Center on Oct. 27, 2019.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James celebrates after a dunk by guard Danny Green during the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center on Nov. 17, 2019.
(Kelvin Kuo, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James takes center court to speak to fans before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center on Jan. 31, 2020.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James gestures to a referee after a foul call during the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center on Feb. 21, 2020
(Robert Hanashiro, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
LeBron James and Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers in a Black Lives Matter Shirt kneel with their teammates during the national anthem prior to the game against the LA Clippers at The Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on July 30, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. on July 30, 2020.
(Pool photo by Mike Ehrmann via Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) holds up four fingers after winning his fourth NBA championship after game six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena on Oct. 11, 2020.
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts after receiving 2020 NBA Championship ring before a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on Dec. 22, 2020.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James lands on fans sitting court side as he dives after a ball in the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on Jan. 24, 2023
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Former Los Angeles Lakers player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar hands the game ball to forward LeBron James (6) after James becomes the NBA all time scoring leader against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 7, 2023.
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) with forward Anthony Davis (3) during a stoppage in play against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half at Crypto.com Arena on April 11, 2023.
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center on Nov. 27, 2023.
(Bill Streicher, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James shoots the ball against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) in the NBA In Season Tournament Semifinal at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 7, 2023.
(Kyle Terada, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) warms up on the court prior to he start of the game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on Jan. 30, 2024.
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James prepares for the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Mar. 31, 2024.
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) scores a basket against the Miami Heat as center Jaxson Hayes (11) reacts during the second half at Crypto.com Arena on Jan. 15, 2025.
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dribbles the ball against the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 25, 2025.
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots past Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (2) and Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) during the second half at American Airlines Center on April 9, 2025.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket against the Orlando Magic in the first quarter at Kia Center on Mar. 21, 2026.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after dunking the ball against the Orlando Magic in the first quarter at Kia Center on Mar. 21, 2026.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket as Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) defends during the first half at American Airlines Center on April 5, 2026.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots the ball against Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) and guard Amen Thompson (1) in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 18, 2026.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
“Ring chasing would be ‘I don’t have a ring, I’ve been doing it my whole (career), now I’m going to get on a superteam to win a ring,’ ” O’Neal continued.
“Nah, somebody did ring chasing during the middle of their career, I’m not going to say no names, and it got them a couple of rings. Hey, LeBron played the right way. He put the team together in Miami. A lot of people don’t like that, but it worked. Went back to Cleveland and got one. Got one in L.A.”
Despite the contempt associated with the ring chasing term, the reality is that every single NBA player wants to win a championship. These are hyper-competitive athletes and winning a title is the culmination of their physical, mental and emotional investments.
Every player, by definition, is chasing championships.
O’Neal played 19 seasons and won four NBA titles, winning three NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards. Despite that previous success, O’Neal signed with the Celtics ahead of the 2010-11 season, joining a team that already featured Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen.
“I actually did it,” O’Neal admitted. “When I went to play at Boston, I was like, ‘Hey, Kobe (Bryant) got five (championships), let me try to get five.’ I wasn’t going out there to be the man, I was just going to do my part to help them get a ring and get me number five, because when it was over, I would’ve loved to say I have five instead of four.”
Former Cleveland Cavaliers teammates LeBron James (23) and Shaquille O’Neal during a Feb. 6, 2010 game against the New York Knicks.
Yet, with his stature in the league, most everything James does gets dissected. This decision to sign with the Sixers is no different.
Philadelphia was unceremoniously swept in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the eventual-champion New York Knicks, who snapped a 53-year title drought. NBA championships are hard to come by. And just because James joined a stacked team doesn’t guarantee anything.
“People don’t understand: when this thing is over for him, it’s going to be over,” O’Neal said. “There will never be another LeBron again.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is LeBron James chasing a ring? An all-time NBA great pushes back
