On the basketball court, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley are two of the greatest big men to ever step foot in the NBA. With their playing days long behind them, they are now arguably the best comedic duo on the basketball media circuit.
For years now, O’Neal and Barkley have been the focal points of TNT’s “Inside The NBA.” Along with giving their own thoughts and insights on the current generation, the two are constantly arguing and butting heads on national television.
At the end of the day, it’s all love between the two Hall of Famers. Despite how much they bicker on TV, there is no denying that O’Neal and Barkley respect each other to a high degree.
While enjoying his summer, the former LA Lakers big man did an interview on “Sunrise,” a news station in Australia. They covered an array of topics from basketball to one of O’Neal’s biggest hobbies, DJing.
Towards the end of the conversation, his relationship with Barkely was brought up. Since he wasn’t in America, he took the opportunity to jokingly threaten his friend and co-host.
“He has American defense immunity so which means if you were here Charles I will punch you right in the face. I’ll punch you right in the stomach and make you throw up all those Australian clams you had on the beach.”
“I can’t talk to Charles like that in America but here in another country, bite you in the face Charles.”
Before making those brash comments, Shaq made sure to compliment Barkley on being a stand-up guy behind the scenes.
Shaquille O’Neal never misses a chance to showcase his personality
Earlier in the interview, Shaquille O’Neal was asked about his legacy and how he wants to be remembered. To this day, he is still viewed as one of the NBA’s most dominant forces around the rim. However, he wants his legacy to be that he is a genuinely nice person.
When it comes to the former MVP, size is not the only thing that’s big about him. O’Neal also has a big personality. He never shies away from trying to light up a room, and his interview on Sunrise is a testament to that.
He could have easily said a couple nice things about Barkley and moved on, but instead tried to give a brief moment of entertainment. That’s just the kind of person Shaq is. When he isn’t using his platform to help those in need, he’s trying to provide a laugh with his infectious personality.
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