We know after watching enough NBA on TNT episodes that Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t need an invitation to roast his friend and co-analyst on the show, Charles Barkley. The banter between the two sometimes attracts more fans to the show than their actual coverage of NBA games. This hilarious 2016 segment on Charles Barkley and Shaq’s acting skills will bring back some sweet memories for fans.
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During an EJ’s Neat-O Stat of the Night segment in 2016, TNT host Ernie Johnson brought up recent reports that a sequel of the 1996 movie Space Jam could be in the works. The Space Jam sequel was eventually released in 2021 and featured Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. However, the news of a sequel prompted Charles Barkley to ask a very potent question.
“Who’s gonna play me?” asked Barkley. The former Phoenix Suns star had a role in the 1996 film starring Michael Jordan. However, Barkley’s seemingly innocent question opened him up for roasts from his peers. “Jared Sullinger,” quipped Shaq. For those of who don’t remember, Sullinger is a 31-year-old basketball player who spent his last year in the NBA with the Raptors in the 2016-17 season. Shaq’s remark made everyone laugh.
However, the real fun began after that. The producers played a short compilation of Barkley’s scenes from Space Jam, which made the entire studio laugh. Shaq wasted no time and started laughing at Chuck’s questionable acting skills. “And I thought Kazaam was bad! Oh, that was terrible,” the big fella said.
He even hilariously recreated the scene where Barkley lost his basketball powers in the movie by twitching uncontrollably. “I got nominated for an Academy Awards,” the Chuckster hilariously added to save some face. But the big man wasn’t having any of it. “No you didn’t,” he added.
The movie Kazaam, starring Shaquille O’Neal, was released the same year but ended up being a colossal failure. Meanwhile, Barkley may have joked about his Oscars nomination. But the 1993 NBA MVP has won nine Emmy awards in the category ‘Outstanding Sports Personality – Studio Analyst’ from 2004 till date, for his stint with TNT.
Charles Barkley and Shaq are not new to the world of Hollywood
Both Barkley and Shaq have become household names for their NBA careers and subsequent stints in broadcast television. Therefore, they have made cameos in quite a few movies.
Barkley has appeared in Hustle, Hot Shots, and He Got Game, among other movies and TV shows. On the other hand, Shaq has appeared in Steel, Scary Movie 4, The Lego Movie, and Hubie Halloween, among others.
However, the two legends’ stints with TNT surpass any of their performances on the silvers screen. Shaq and Chuck have given us unforgettable moments over the years like the one just recounted. And they are still performing at their peak.
