More Gold Not Goal for O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal left himself some wiggle room, but otherwise let his lack of interest in being named to the U.S. 2000 Olympic team loudly be known.

“I’ve been telling you that for the last two years,” O’Neal said Wednesday, adding that he has already won one Olympic gold medal and has played many postseasons in a row.

“Summer is time for me to get some rest. . . . They’ve got Tim [Duncan] and Alonzo [Mourning] and Vin Baker [already on the team], that should be enough.”

So if USA Basketball comes to him next month and says he is one of their final three selections, he’d turn them down? Is that his . . . final answer?

“I don’t know if it’s final,” O’Neal said. “I’m just saying right now, no, I’m not doing that. I’ve already got [a] gold medal. Thank you for picking me. But this time, I’ll probably decline. Probably.”

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O’Neal, whose last meeting with Charles Barkley was one of the more dramatic (if less action-packed) brawls in recent NBA history, said he was sad to hear that Barkley injured his knee Wednesday and said he would retire.

“In my eyes, he’s always going to be one of the greatest players ever,” O’Neal said.” A lot of people bring that nonsense, because he doesn’t have a ring, he’s not a great player. That’s not true. [John] Stockton and [Karl] Malone, they’re great players also, they don’t have rings.

“He’s a great player, and I’ll miss him. I hope this isn’t his last year. But if it is his last year, I’m behind him 100%.”