Big market this. Small market, that. Superstar this. Superstar that. The spotlight never rests. Yet the argument around what truly makes an NBA superstar keeps spinning. Everyone has a theory, and no one’s backing down. While Stephen A. Smith holds firm to his views, not all of ESPN stands with him. In fact, Shaquille O’Neal has long challenged that stance. Now, Draymond Green has joined the resistance. Together, they argue that greatness creates its own gravity. Market size, after all, might just be noise in the background.

Not too long ago, Shaq shared his opinion on what is going on with the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors running wild in the league. “You go to L.A., that’s 50% of your contract goes to taxes,” the Lakers legend said on the Good Word with Goodwill podcast. “More pressure, more articles, and more stress … Social media is the market now.” You see, these aren’t empty words. The ex-NBA hooper has lived through it. Shaq moved from Orlando to LA for growth, but believes Giannis became a superstar without needing a bigger market shift. Stephen A. agreed somewhat but felt that the situation depends on the player. “[Market size] matters to certain stars, no question about it, not every star,” he said on First Take.

Draymond Green agrees with Shaquille O’Neal in NBA debate

Draymond Green, never shy to join a heated debate. On his podcast, he echoed Shaq’s view and pushed back against the usual big-market narrative. Sitting with Baron Davis and Shaun Livingston, Green laid out examples to prove his point. He emphasized that true greatness draws its own spotlight, regardless of location. Even Stephen A. noted that pressure often stems from a player’s personal legacy, not just the zip code they play in.

“Guys like Shaq say a bigger market doesn’t matter. However, Stephen A. believes that market size doesn’t matter only to transcendent players like Shaq,” Dray told his co-host and guest. Market size simply cannot be the only criterion to become the face of the league. “I don’t think being in a big market matters to becoming the face of the NBA,” the 35-year-old explained. “I know for sure it doesn’t matter because LeBron James became the face of the NBA in Cleveland, Ohio. And that’s not a big market by any stretch of the imagination. I think you have to be that great.”

Perhaps, it’s just greatness that matters the most; who cares about the market size anyway? Unless you’re Stephen A. Smith. “What this brings up is—because Stephen A. was saying the pressure you get playing in New York or LA,” Green continued. “I’m going to tell you, the same pressure those guys get playing in those cities, LeBron James got in Cleveland. If he didn’t win, there’s noise. ‘He can’t do it no more.'”

Meanwhile, Steph Curry faces intense pressure in San Francisco, just as Giannis does in Milwaukee. When you’re that elite, the questions never stop. Greatness attracts expectations, not excuses. Regardless of market size, the demand to win follows these stars everywhere they go. “From the media standpoint, are they going to talk a little more? Of course. The New York Post is going to get more eyes. The New York Times. When you’re in markets like that—LA, New York—yes, those things are bigger. So I’m not saying the thing doesn’t get bigger,” Draymond Green further added.

Most importantly, LeBron James was LeBron James before joining the Lakers. But Antetokounmpo became the Greek Freak in Milwaukee. Jokic became Jokic in Denver. And, “Luka didn’t become this Luka when he went to LA. Luka became that in Dallas.” At the same time, Green hinted that LeBron James joining the Lakers was not just a basketball decision. It was a life strategy. According to him, this move was part of a bigger game, one beyond the court.

“I think Giannis—what this brings up is, how many true superstars are there? Because Giannis is actually a true superstar,” Green concluded. “Whether he’s in New York or Milwaukee, yeah, he may have a few more national TV games in New York City, but Giannis is going to be Giannis no matter where he’s at.” Simply put, again, you cannot hide a star that’s destined to shine. Whether it’s Giannis, Curry, or LeBron. And not even Tyrese Haliburton, who is ready to break records in the NBA Finals.

Tyrese Haliburton sets the stage for a major milestone in his career

Tyrese Haliburton is casually storming the elite club of playoff legends. He has made four shots to tie or take the lead in the final three seconds, in four different rounds of the 2025 postseason. Jordan needed a career to hit that bingo, completing it in 1997. LeBron James, even in 22 seasons, has never pulled that off. Haliburton just did.

Stretch the clutch window to 90 seconds, and Haliburton still leads with six such go-ahead or tying shots, the most since play-by-play tracking began in 1996. Stat site Inpredictable credits him with 2.48 clutch wins added, far ahead of LeBron’s 1.86 in 2013. Indiana has gone 8-1 in clutch games, with a league-best 88.9% clutch win rate for teams with nine or more clutch appearances.

Beyond the scoreboard, Haliburton’s control is surgical. In 89 clutch minutes, the Pacers have just three turnovers, thanks to his absurd 8-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. His shots swung games with win probabilities as low as 0.3%. If he beats the 68-win Thunder to win Indiana’s first title, without home-court advantage, his playoff run will rival or even surpass the greats. Statistically and spiritually, the crown might soon be his.

Some stars chase markets. Others become the market. Just ask Draymond Green or Shaquille O’Neal—they’ve seen it firsthand. Now, Tyrese Haliburton is joining that rare league, not by location but by legacy. While others argue over city lights, he’s turning pressure into poetry. In Indiana, under the brightest kind of pressure, Haliburton is proving what Green and Shaq said all along—true greatness never needs a bigger stage to shine.