Charles Barkley revealed his admiration for Shaquille O’Neal during his appearance on Fox Sports 910 Phoenix. Despite being rivals for eight years in the NBA, the two always had mutual respect. Their bond grew stronger when they shared the Team USA locker room during the 1996 Summer Olympics.
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While the 61-year-old described Shaq as a sensitive person, he also confessed to enjoying teasing ‘The Diesel’.
“He is a good dude. He is a little sensitive but I love riding him.”
Their relationship evolved into brotherhood once Shaq joined Chuck on TNT’s Inside the NBA in 2011. Since then, they have constantly engaged in playful banter and pitted themselves against each other.
During the 2019 playoffs, Barkley got under Shaq’s skin by repeatedly interrupting him on-air. This frustrated O’Neal so much that he nearly threw a can at Chuck. However, Barkley didn’t stop there.
Following the incident, he nicknamed Shaq ‘Mr. Sensitive’. This again struck a nerve with The Diesel. He became so irritated that he shut down and ignored the panel for a day and a half. Chuck later reflected on this moment on The Steam Room podcast, saying,
“One of the great stories in Inside history. Shaq was so mad he didn’t speak to us the rest of the night or the next day and he was really mad.”
This was just one of many times Barkley turned Shaq into a laughingstock, and he shows no signs of stopping. After all, Chuck was at it again during his latest appearance.
Barkley made fun of Shaq’s endorsement deals
Despite reportedly earning over $60 million from endorsements and business ventures, Shaq never misses a chance to collaborate with new brands. This has earned him a reputation for appearing in quirky commercials for lesser-known and lesser-established companies.
When Barkley was asked about this, he didn’t hold back. He jokingly claimed it’s only a matter of time before O’Neal signs on to do a commercial for the absorbent, disposable undergarments brand, Depend.
“Anything that they nailed down. Anything. I told you, it’s just a matter of time before he does a Depend’s commercial. It’s just a matter of time.”
Although Chuck teased Shaq about his endless endorsements, their co-panelist, Kenny Smith, admired The Diesel for his hustle. During an appearance on BigBoys TV, ‘The Jet’ even praised O’Neal’s strategies, recalling how they impressed him, saying,
“The biggest thing I learned from Shaq was his business acumen and people don’t take advantage of it. Most people think Shaq is on those brands. I asked him, ‘Don’t you feel like you’re oversaturated’. He is like, ‘Nah. Kenny, we have got a short window because we are not playing anymore… You should take advantage of it… Plus think of them as partnerships.'”
This has led to Shaq’s wealth skyrocketing in recent years. At 52, he has a net worth of half a billion dollars. Despite the jabs from Chuck and others, it seems O’Neal has carved out a path for himself and his household.
