An argument sparked during a recent Inside the NBA show as the $700,000 party of Kenny Smith became the center of attention. Shaquille O’Neal claimed to be ‘not allowed’ into the party causing a back-and-forth between the TNT analysts. Soon after that, the Big Aristotle revealed going to smoke hookah instead, redirecting the focus of the conversation.
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“Unbelievable,” Smith at first mentioned while reflecting on the recently hosted event. “It happened again,” Shaq stated promptly to indicate how the Jet never sent him an invitation to the party. “Liar,” the 58-year-old responded before the 4x champion highlighted, “I showed up right there and he asked me for my credentials”.
Following that, the 2x champion shed light on his co-panelist Charles Barkley alongside NBA greats Shawn Marion, Julius Erving, and Vince Carter paid a visit to the event. “All of the great of the greats were there,” he disclosed before shedding light on the night’s success. “We raised over $700,000 for education reform now,” the New York City-born mentioned.
Diesel immediately reversed the focus of the discussion as he continued to vent his frustration. The 51-year-old told Ernie Johnson Jr., “Five years in a row, Ernie,” before Smith yet again disagreed, stating, “This guy did not show up”. The New Jersey-born insisted how the security refused to let him enter the party, eventually forcing him to opt for a different option. “I was like, ‘Alright, I’m going to smoke some hookah,'” the 7ft 1″ icon further revealed.
Despite the persistent nature of the 2000 MVP, he was certainly joking about the entire scenario. Keeping in mind the close bond between the panelists, the chances of Smith excluding Shaq from his guest list remain unlikely. Hence, it was potentially the former NBA center who stayed absent from the event. After all, his hysterical laugh throughout the conversation hinted precisely at that.
Yet, one part of the explanation from Shaquille O’Neal was likely true
The prospect of the 15x All-Star deciding to smoke hookah remained highly likely since his addiction became public knowledge. During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, Chuck once addressed that aspect, stating, “He is too busy smoking Hookah to play golf”. “Shaq does hookah every single day, Dan. He loves hookah,” the 1993 MVP candidly added.
Smith raised similar concerns during his show with ALL THE SMOKE. Shedding light on the habits of the 3x Finals MVP, the sports analyst stated, “He created a hookah lounge in the studio, and they let him do this. He was like, ‘I have to have my hookah'”.
This adds another layer to the light-hearted nature of one of the most dominant NBA players of all time. Actions such as these have defined his uniqueness as an individual. Simultaneously, these have made him an entertaining off-court persona over time, drawing attention to his endeavors.
