“LeBron did it in Cleveland”: Draymond Green and Shaquille O’Neal torch big-market myth after Tyrese Haliburton’s clutch Game 1 stirs debate — Stephen A. Smith pushes back

Does a superstar really need the spotlight of New York or Los Angeles to become the face of the NBA? That question has sparked a wave of debate across the league. When and where a player rises used to matter — but today, names like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Tyrese Haliburton are flipping the narrative. And some of the league’s most vocal minds — Shaquille O’Neal and Draymond Green — are drawing a firm line: true greatness doesn’t wait for a big market invite. It builds its own stage.The long-standing belief that superstars must thrive in major media markets to reach iconic status is being challenged by some of the league’s most experienced voices. Shaquille O’Neal lit the fuse during an appearance on the “Good Word with Goodwill” podcast. “You go to L.A., that’s 50% of your contract goes to taxes,” Shaq said. “More pressure, more articles, and more stress… Social media is the market now.”The Lakers legend, who made the move from Orlando to Los Angeles in 1996, isn’t speaking from theory — he lived the contrast. But his message is that the NBA’s power map has shifted, thanks to social media and changing media dynamics. “When I was coming up, it was a small market. You're too small. You probably need to go to a big market. But now every market is the same,” he added.Golden State’s Draymond Green echoed those thoughts on “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis” and Shaun Livingston. Green took the conversation further, pointing directly to today’s most dominant stars. “I know for sure [market size] doesn’t matter because LeBron James became the face of the NBA in Cleveland, Ohio,” Green said. “And that’s not a big market by any stretch of the imagination. I think you have to be that great.”Green, never shy to stir the pot, emphasized that the scrutiny and pressure people associate with major cities doesn’t magically disappear in smaller markets. “The same pressure those guys get when they’re playing in those cities, LeBron James got that pressure in Cleveland,” he explained. “If he didn’t win, there’s noise. ‘He can’t do it no more.’”He didn’t stop there. Green listed off Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Luka Doncic as proof points. “Giannis has become Giannis in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. [Nikola Jokic] has become Joker in Denver, Colorado. Luka didn’t become this Luka when he went to L.A. Luka became that in Dallas.” Each, in his view, is a product of performance, not zip code.Meanwhile, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith offered a more cautious stance. Speaking on First Take, Smith said, “Market size matters to certain stars, no question about it — not every star.” He suggested that only truly transcendent players, like Shaq, can bypass the traditional big-market boost.But even Stephen A. acknowledged that pressure often comes more from expectations tied to legacy than from locale. And that brings us to a new name on the rise — Tyrese Haliburton.Haliburton, playing in Indiana, has delivered one of the most clutch playoff runs in recent memory. As of June 5, he’s hit game-tying or go-ahead shots in four separate rounds — something neither Michael Jordan nor LeBron James accomplished as quickly. In 89 clutch minutes this postseason, Haliburton has racked up a jaw-dropping 8-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and pushed Indiana to an 88.9% win rate in tight games.His performances haven’t gone unnoticed. Not even by Shaq, who, after Haliburton’s game-winner against Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, was momentarily speechless.Also Read: LeBron James raves about Tyrese Haliburton ahead of Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Finals for first-ever NBA titleFrom Cleveland to Milwaukee, from Denver to Dallas, and now in Indiana, today’s superstars are proving that market size might just be an outdated measuring stick. Draymond Green and Shaquille O’Neal are making it clear: if you’re great enough, the world will watch no matter where you play.In the age of highlights, hashtags, and real-time takes, the market isn’t a place — it’s a presence. And Tyrese Haliburton, right now, is becoming that presence.