NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley often get involved in spirited verbal exchanges on live television. However, things sometimes go out of hand.
Shaq and Charles Barkley engaged in a heated arguement
That was the case again during the post-game interview with the Miami Heat star, Bam Adebayo. While discussing Miami’s win over Boston in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, tensions escalated between Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley, nearly leading to a physical altercation.
Once again, Jimmy Butler showcased his brilliance by scoring 27 points for the Miami Heat. This time, he received valuable assistance from Bam Adebayo, who poured in 22 points.
In addition to his impressive scoring, Adebayo also made a significant impact by grabbing 17 rebounds and providing 9 assists during the game.
O’Neal and Barkley, who serve as basketball analysts on Inside the NBA, found themselves engaged in a heated exchange while discussing the exciting matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat. The tension between them escalated as they delved into their opinions on Bam Adebayo, leading to visible annoyance between the two.
This led to the discussion about the possible return of Tyler Herro from injury initiated by Barkley. Staunchly negating the relevance of Herro’s whereabouts, Shaq responded, “We don’t need another Herro right now.” This ignited the ugly spat.
The Chuckster was repeatedly interrupted by Shaq as he tried to discuss Herro’s availability. Staunchly negating Growing frustration over O’Neal’s behavior led Barkley to issue a stern warning, saying, “Hey, interrupt me again.” O’Neal responded with a challenge, asking, “What you gonna do?” The Philadelphia 76ers legend then threatened to physically confront him, saying, “I’m gonna hit you. I hit a guy with four eyes.”
Although it might have been a little uncomfortable for Bam, he could be seen laughing during Barkley and Shaq’s argument.
The intense exchange between these prominent personalities escalated, but they were quickly back to their usual antics. The Chuckster couldn’t help but laugh when Shaq called him Cletus. Co-host Ernie Johnson suggested to Adebayo that it might be a wise decision to distance himself from the commotion, and Adebayo heeded his advice, gracefully stepping away from the chaos. This wasn’t the only memorable moment from the duo last night, though.
As the Miami Heat prepared to face the Boston Celtics, a Celtics fan proudly displayed a photo she had taken with Shaquille O’Neal years ago. Reacting to the picture, O’Neal playfully remarked, “See that, America? Time travel! I still look the same, I still look the same.”
Seizing the opportunity, Barkley chimed in with his signature wit, saying, “Hey, one of you aged better than the other one.” The duo thoroughly enjoyed the lighthearted moment with the fan.
