Free-throw shooting has never been Shaquille O’Neal‘s forte. Yet, most wouldn’t expect him to lose to a 10-year-old boy, especially while it was being broadcast on national television. However, that was exactly what happened during a 2019 episode of Inside the NBA, after a little guest star was brought on.
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Given five free-throw attempts, the kid only made one of them, hence leaving the door ajar for Shaq to possibly take the win. However, the Big Diesel’s abysmal free throw form had never helped him before, and it didn’t start during the show either. In fact, O’Neal’s method of shooting was so ugly, that it even prompted Kenny Smith to say, “You’re killing me!” to the big man.
O’Neal may never have been the greatest shooter ever. However, he has made it a habit of comparing himself to Stephen Curry, while making some incredibly deep threes. As one might expect these clips went beyond viral when they first came out.
With man pomping his chest so much about being the “black Steph Curry’, one would hope that he’d be able to beat a pre-pubescent child in a shooting contest. But sometimes, reality can be stranger, and admittedly a lot more hilarious, than fiction.
Shaquille O’Neal is an all-time great at missing free-throws
In NBA history, Wilt Chamberlain has the tally for the most missed free throws ever, at 5,805. Not lagging far behind him in the category, stands Shaquille O’Neal, with a tally of 5,317, good for second place.
Chamberlain and O’Neal were very similar players, in the fact that they overwhelmed opponents through their sheer strength and dominance. So, perhaps, it only stands to reason that they would also be similarly atrocious at making free throws.
That said, when it came down to it, Shaquille O’Neal always made the most important free throws. When it came to winning basketball games through any means necessary, O’Neal always knew how. His three Finals MVPs are the biggest indicator of that fact. And because of that side of him, he now gets to flaunt his four NBA championships as much as he wants to anyone, especially Charles Barkley on Inside the NBA.
