“I Would Kill Charles Barkley”: Undeterred by TNT Coworker’s Legacy, Shaquille O’Neal Was Confident in His 1-on-1 Skills in 2017

Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal share a close friendship that has partly developed during their time at TNT together. Two of the most fearsome players the NBA ever saw, Shaq was asked in 2017 about what he thought would happen if he ever got played 1 on 1 against his buddy. The LA Lakers legend hilariously replied that he would kill Charles Barkley, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Despite a close and wholesome friendship, the two get into arguments on TNT regularly. Their hilarious back-and-forths is a major reason behind their success on the TV together. Shaq and Chuck have some obvious respect for each other, but neither of them generally misses any chance to rib the other one.

Shaquille O’Neal was once asked what would happen if he got into a fight with Charles Barkley

Shaquille O’Neal is often regarded as the most dominant player the league ever saw. While Barkley was also fearsome during his playing days, Shaq had a better overall career.

Apart from winning 4 Championships compared to Barkley’s none, Shaq also had a more illustrious record when it comes to individual awards. During his interview with Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern, he was asked a range of questions about his career.

This included a question about a 1 on 1 pickup game against Barkley, apart from one about potentially releasing “Kazaam 2.” O’Neal had a simple response to the Barkley question, which he gave while walking out:

“To answer your question, I would kill Charles [Barkley].”

He also claimed that he would never release a Kazaam 2, which makes sense considering how well the first movie did. Regardless, while Barkley himself is regarded as one of the best PFs in the history of the league, Shaq was confident in his ability to dominate him.

Barkley and O’Neal had a fight during a 1999 game

Barkley and Shaq’s relationship did not get off on a good note. While they eventually became friends, the two came up against each other during a 1999 match between LA Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers.

O’Neal was initially guilty of making contact with Barkley when he grabbed the ball. This frustrated Chuck, who threw the ball back at the big man.

Shaq proceeded to push him, resulting in a brawl almost breaking out between the two. A range of other players on the court along with the referee intervened.

O’Neal was later forced by his mother Lucille to talk to Barkley, which resulted in a wholesome friendship starting between the two. The two legends had an obvious chemistry right from the start, something which is very evident when they appear on TNT together.