Shaquille O'Neal's Call for NBA Stars to Benefit Haiti is A Slam Dunk

You’ve got to love Shaquille O’Neal.

More than that, you’ve got to love his latest idea.

Shaq, holding court as only he can after the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 108-100 win over Toronto Tuesday night, offered a creative—and bold—solution to the turmoil that surrounds this year’s NBA Slam Dunk competition.

The turmoil revolves around LeBron James’ decision not to participate. At last year’s event, LeBron hinted to TNT’s Cheryl Miller that he’d participate in this year's contest. Earlier this week, however, he backed away from those statements.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer , part of LeBron’s rationale was that no other superstar was entered. No Dwight Howard. No Kobe. No Dwyane Wade. No Kevin Durant. Apparently, had one or more of those players agreed to do it, he might have too.

Shaq understands. The NBA announced this week that Shannon Brown of the Lakers, Gerald Wallace of the Bobcats, and Nate Robinson of the Knicks would participate, with a fourth spot determined by a dunk-off between DeMar DeRozan of the Raptors and Eric Gordon of the Clippers.

“The guys that are in it, no disrespect to them, but they wouldn’t really be any competition for LeBron,” said O’Neal. 

Shaq’s idea? Have LeBron, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant and “another big name” put on a show for the fans.

“If we could get a big prize…have half of the money go to the people of Haiti and the other half to the winner,” O'Neal said.

I’ll go one better. Give all the money to the people of Haiti.

Regardless, O’Neal laid it on thick.

“Vince, we're calling you out. Kobe, we're calling you out. We're calling everybody out. If those guys step up in the dunk contest, then I will allow my client to step up," he said , in a playful reference to James.

It’s doubtful Kobe could go, with his bad finger. So make him a judge. Get him involved somehow.

Add Durant, or Wade, or Josh Smith, or Amare Stoudemire. Round out the field with some star power and have a ball.

Without question, people would watch. It would be great for the NBA, and it would shine the spotlight even more intensely on the situation in Haiti.

Shaq has spoken. As usual, he’s worth listening to.