Shaquille O’Neal, known for his immense physical prowess, displayed a mean streak on the court. One notable incident occurred during his time with the Phoenix Suns when he fearlessly confronted 7 ft 5″ Yao Ming, shoving both him and 6ft 9″ Tracy McGrady after an altercation. Shaq often reminisces about this incident, sharing a video on his Instagram story.
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During brawls and altercations, Shaquille O’Neal effectively used his physical strength. The altercation with Yao Ming left a lasting impression on the Chinese basketball star. However, over the years, the two legends have resolved their issues and now hold immense respect for each other.
Shaquille O’Neal almost knocked out 7’5″ Yao Ming and 6’9″ Tracy McGrady during a physical altercation on the court
In 2008, during a game between the Phoenix Suns and the Houston Rockets, an altercation broke out between players. It quickly escalated into a brawl. The skirmish began when Rockets guard Rafer Alston brought down Steve Nash.
In response, the players held their jerseys, and teammates rushed to their defense. Phoenix’s forward, Matt Barnes, was especially agitated and played a significant role in fueling the conflict. This led to a massive brawl on the court.
Shaquille O’Neal and Yao Ming, prominent players from both teams, also got involved in supporting their teammates. An angry Shaq pushed through the brawling crowd and ended up throwing Yao Ming on top of peacemaker Tracy McGrady. A clip of the incident was shared on Shaq’s Instagram Story by demas6basket.
Thankfully, neither Shaq nor any other players got injured during the fight, but it shocked the audience at the United Center.
Despite the intense altercation, the Rockets won the match 94-82. However, instigators Steve Nash, Matt Barnes, and Rafer Alston were suspended. Meanwhile, Shaq and TMac received $32,000 and $25,000 fines for their involvement in the conflict.
O’Neal has a history of physical altercations on the court
Shaq, known as a gentle giant, displayed a fierce side during an on-court altercation with rivals. Utilizing his imposing figure to his advantage, the 7’1″ Big Man engaged in physical altercations, one of which was with his future TNT co-host, Charles Barkley.
In 1999, during a game against Chuck and the Rockets, Shaq threw punches at Barkley in response to being hit by a ball thrown by the Round Mound of Rebound. Surprisingly, their mothers intervened to resolve the tension between the two players, as they were in close contact with each other. This incident led to Chuck and Shaq becoming good friends and continuing their relationship as co-analysts for TNT’s Inside the NBA show.
