As someone who has been on the NBA floor, conquered it, and taken full advantage of being 7’1″, Shaquille O’Neal redefined what it meant to be a center. Dominating the court felt like taking a stroll in the park for the big guy. It was probably a different level of dedication, consistency, and the desire to succeed that most players lack in today’s generation. Not Victor Wembanyama, though. Meanwhile, it was Shaq’s favorite boy, Bol Bol, who landed in an odd situation.

Well, it is no secret that former Phoenix Suns big man, Bol Bol, and rapper Playboi Carti are a close duo. On Friday, the hoopster stood in the crowd at the Mortgage Matchup Center. However, he didn’t have his NBA jersey on; instead, he had a jacket with the hoodie pulled over his head. Playboi Carti had taken over Phoenix’s home arena for his Antagonist Tour on October 17. And fans noticed the Sudanese-American 7’3 giant “greening out and throwing up all over the place,” according to @CGBBURNER on X. The video has gone pretty viral on social media.

This wasn’t the only time the two worlds of basketball and music united recently. In September 2025, Shaq’s favorite player, Bol Bol, was pictured seated in the studio with Jim Jones, on Carti’s left side. The 25-year-old hoopster looked like a rapper himself!

Now you see, Shaquille O’Neal‘s favorite star, Bol Bol’s life in the NBA took an odd turn at the end of the last season. He entered the 2024–2025 season with a one-year, $2,425,403 deal under Phoenix’s bright lights. And as summer 2025 arrived, freedom called, and the 25-year-old stepped into the market as an unrestricted free agent. Meanwhile, the Suns have quietly turned the page, showing no signs of holding on to his talent…

They’ve carried out what many may call a roster makeover in Phoenix. Project center Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming have come in to establish a new young foundation. The nail in the coffin for Bol Bol, however, was the signing of Nigel Hayes-Davis. Had the Suns wanted to use Shaq’s favorite player, they wouldn’t have brought a 30-year-old who was surprisingly returning to the league.

When you look at the bigger picture, perhaps O’Neal was right about Bol Bol. Once seen as a prodigy, the 25-year-old soon lost the spark he had brought to the NBA. And now, he sits without a contract and an uncertain future.

Shaquille O’Neal’s Bol Bol analysis might be true

Despite the perceived laziness of Bol Bol, Shaquille O’Neal remains a big fan. “Bol Bol can do everything Wemby can do and even a little better,” he said to Complex. “He’s just lazy. So I stand by my statement that Bol Bol was the first seven-foot-five guy to have those skills. And you know, whenever I open my mouth, I always try to open my mouth up with facts. Again, I’m not saying Bol Bol is better. Just saying he was the first seven-foot-five guy to do that with style. I just think, you know, Wemby wants it a little more.”

A five-star prodigy with a 96 ESPN grade, Bol Bol owned college basketball until that cruel stress fracture ended his Oregon run. The 2019 Draft Combine showed the truth: a 7-foot-3 frame, a 7-foot-7 wingspan, yet only 208 pounds. Once a sure lottery lock, he plunged to 44th in the NBA draft. Miami took him, passed him on to Denver, but he played 328 minutes in three seasons… You could see Bol Bol fading behind Nikola Jokic.

Detroit and Boston came and went before Jamahl Mosley gave him life in Orlando, where 9.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 70 games (33 starts) made people believe again.

Then came Phoenix. The Suns bet upwards of $2 million on that glittering potential. At times, he delivered: a fiery 25-point, 14-rebound night against Houston, bursts of brilliance, moments that teased what could be. Yet the spark wavered. During a Rockets game, Mason Plumlee tangled with Steven Adams, and Bol Bol shot layups as chaos erupted. Mike Budenholzer lost patience and was “irate” for not coming to his teammate’s defense, per Chris Haynes.

Bol Bol lost minutes. He has no takers now… Shaq and Ralph Sampson still preach belief, but time is no longer kind. The 25-year-old was named in a few headlines alongside the Charlotte Hornets, who badly need some roster depth. However, apart from that, he pretty much seems out of favor across the league. Perhaps he can spend some time in the G League or take his talent overseas? What do you think?