Shaquille O’Neal has been a part of numerous amazing duos throughout his NBA career. He played with tremendous talents such as Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade. In his retirement, he has thrived alongside another major star away from basketball. Their relationship has flourished through their constant pranks.
Advertisement
Shaq and comedian Kevin Hart have easily become one of the funniest duos in entertainment. O’Neal and Hart go way back with their partnership truly beginning in 2009. Hart did O’Neal a favor by headlining the four-time NBA champion’s ‘Shaquille O’Neal Comedy All-Star Jam’. The event was a huge success, and the two have only built their relationship since.
They have grown closer through their hilarious pranks on each other. During the 2025 NBA All-Star game, Hart hosted the event and made O’Neal the butt of many jokes.
O’Neal is a good sport at receiving hits since he isn’t shy to dish out jokes himself. Shaq spoke on one of his most infamous pranks toward Hart, which came in the form of a picture including Yao Ming and himself.
“The Yao and me part is real, but I was the one who photoshopped Kevin,” O’Neal said in an interview with BeatBox.
The picture that O’Neal is referring to made waves on the internet in 2015. It shows a significant height difference between Yao and Shaq. On the right side of O’Neal is Hart, whose height gives off the impression of a child standing next to their parent.
Yao Ming x Shaq x Kevin Hart pic.twitter.com/BIi1U0haAc
— Dapper Distress (@dapperdistress) October 22, 2015
Many people contemplated whether the picture was real when it initially hit the public. It is now common knowledge that Hart’s figure was edited. However, O’Neal finally brings to light that he was the one who edited Hart using Adobe Photoshop.
The picture remains a hilarious staple within basketball culture. Hart doesn’t hold any ill feelings toward Shaq for the playful banter, but hasn’t let the Hall-of-Fame big man get away easily. Even resorting to physical pranks.
@me2hd Kevin Hart pranks Shaq #kevinhart #prank #funny #shaq #funnyvideos #justfun ##entertainment ♬ What’s Happenin’ – Method Man
Their back-and-forth has been going for many years now and remains just as funny. This picture and the 2025 NBA All-Star game are just glimpses of their full catalogue of pranks, which will surely expand in the coming years.
