Kenny Smith recently opened up about his relationship with TNT colleagues, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. The Jet reflected on the former NBA MVPs’ influence on his life while reminiscing on their 20 years together. The 59-year-old revealed the 2 things he learned from them during his latest appearance on Come And Talk 2 Me.
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While discussing with Mark Jackson and his son, Smith initially applauded Barkley. Shedding light on the latter’s outspoken nature, the 2x champion stated,
“He gave me a voice to speak…After games, people would ask us about how many points you scored. They asked Chuck about social issues…I was always envious of that because I thought I had an opinion too but I couldn’t just get it out”.
Following that, he credited Shaq for mentoring him in the entrepreneurial space, mentioning,
“I made more money outside of basketball based off of what the things he had told me…I was always asking him, ‘How did you do it?’…So, it’s always great to be around greatness because there’s another way why they became great”.
Alongside showcasing the transparent aspect of their bond, it captured the contrast in their personalities. Barkley, for instance, extended his quality further with a recent show on CNN. As the co-host of Gayle King, the 1993 MVP continues to address several social issues around the USA. On top of it, Chuck has rarely shied away from discussing various geopolitical matters, adding volume to his fearless character.
Shaq, on the contrary, immersed himself in enhancing his business acumen since his earliest playing days. Following his success in that field, his advice has acted as guidelines for even the common masses. His recent interview with CNBC served as an extension of it, as Diesel declared, “Save, save, save. Put away a piece of every paycheck. Even if it is only $50 or $100, it will add up throughout the year”.
Thus, Smith has been able to learn from these two varied personalities due to their expertise in their respective domains. Simultaneously, his inclination to put his ego aside to understand these aspects remains exemplary. This open-minded nature of these iconic figures adds a distinguishable layer to the show while helping it reach an exceptional status.
