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“JaVale McGee, you will only be remembered for Shaqtin-A-Fool”: When Shaquille O’Neal got into a heated Twitter altercation with the then-Warriors center

Advait Jajodia
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“JaVale McGee, you will only be remembered for Shaqtin-A-Fool”: When Shaquille O’Neal got into a heated Twitter altercation with the then-Warriors center

Shaquille O’Neal and JaVale McGee once got into a heated Twitter altercation so bad that their mothers had to intervene.

JaVale McGee has been in the league for almost 14 years now. With a respectable career average of 8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, people often forget that McGee is also a 3-time NBA champ and has an Olympic gold in his cabinet. However, from the start of his career, JaVale has had a reputation for being the all-time Shaqtin-A-Fool MVP.

Yes, the TNT segment is light-hearted and used only to humor the audience. However, McGee once got into a feud with Shaquille O’Neal for his constant mentions on the infamous show.

Things got so heated between the two that the Warriors even reached out to Turner Sports for the “negative portrayal” of their center. Kevin Durant and Steve Kerr had given their insights on the altercation.

“I understand that Shaq works for a company that wants him to do that type of stuff and make fun of players … but when you just keep doing it time and time and time again, for no reason, and the guy actually disagrees with you and you threaten him … I didn’t know cops could threaten civilians like that,” Durant said.

Also Read: Shaquille O’Neal continues to lament over not having a perfect 16-0 record in 2001 playoffs courtesy of Allen Iverson

“You think about JaVale’s career. When you’re in this position, where somebody on national TV is making fun of you night after night after night, it’s not the greatest thing for your reputation. I can tell you I had a preconceived notion of JaVale before he got here that turned out to be totally false. And a lot of that was because of what goes on with Shaq’s ‘Shaqtin’ a Fool’,” Kerr said.

“My mother told me to stop it and don’t bring it up again”: Shaquille O’Neal on his feud with JaVale McGee

The two had a series of NSFW Twitter exchanges:

Things got so bad that their mothers had to step in and help calm the situation. Once speaking with his mother, The Big Aristotle decided to quit harassing JaVale.

“It didn’t get out of hand, but my mother is someone who I love and respect,” O’Neal said. “She told me to stop it and don’t bring it up again, so I’m not going to talk about it ever again.”

 “I have orders from the top to leave it alone. … My mama. Just say Shaq’s mom called him, told him, ‘Stop this silliness. Leave him alone.’ So that’s the end of the beef. You won’t be hearing about it from my side anymore. Mama has spoken.”

Even though the two aren’t quarreling anymore, it is safe to say that there is no mutual respect left between them.

Also Read: When Adam Sandler tried to watch The Big Aristotle take shower to see his junk

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,500+ articles.

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