May 30, 2003
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal acknowledged he ``messed up'' by not attending his season-ending meetings with the Lakers' staff, a snub that had angered coach Phil Jackson.
The players were expected to meet with the coaches before taking off for the summer. All attended their interviews except O'Neal, Rick Fox, who was undergoing surgery for a foot injury, and Samaki Walker, a free agent who won't be back with the team.
The meetings were held two days after three-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles was eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals.
O'Neal told Fox Sports Net's Southern California Sports Report he should have gone to his interview at the team's El Segundo headquarters.
``I didn't go to the meeting and I'll take the punishment like a man,'' the star center said Thursday. ``I don't make excuses and I'll never talk back. I'll never embarrass Phil. I messed up and when I mess up, I'll always clean up.''
Jackson said at the time he was upset O'Neal didn't show up and called the action ``disrespectful to us as a staff.''
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal acknowledged he ``messed up'' by not attending his season-ending meetings with the Lakers' staff, a snub that had angered coach Phil Jackson.
The players were expected to meet with the coaches before taking off for the summer. All attended their interviews except O'Neal, Rick Fox, who was undergoing surgery for a foot injury, and Samaki Walker, a free agent who won't be back with the team.
The meetings were held two days after three-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles was eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals.
O'Neal told Fox Sports Net's Southern California Sports Report he should have gone to his interview at the team's El Segundo headquarters.
``I didn't go to the meeting and I'll take the punishment like a man,'' the star center said Thursday. ``I don't make excuses and I'll never talk back. I'll never embarrass Phil. I messed up and when I mess up, I'll always clean up.''
Jackson said at the time he was upset O'Neal didn't show up and called the action ``disrespectful to us as a staff.''
