Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has been part of TNT’s pregame and post-game show since joining the network as a basketball analyst in 2011. In his 13-year stint, the four-time NBA champion has created countless hilarious moments, especially alongside Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, retired NBA star Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson.
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While the other three weren’t on duty for TNT’s NBA coverage on Thursday, O’Neal was scheduled to appear but arrived late to the studio. The former Los Angeles Laker thought quickly on his feet and delivered an instantly iconic moment. As co-host Adam Lefkoe was doing the introductions, O’Neal came on screen, jumped on the table, and rolled on it arduously before taking his seat in a hilarious sequence.
O’Neal claimed he pulled off the stunt because he didn’t want to be late, which he already was. The crew then enjoyed a slow-motion clip of the 7’1″, 320-pound leaping onto the desk and rolling on it. Co-host Jamal Crawford called the Hall of Famer an “action star” for pulling off the spectacular stunt. O’Neal’s athleticism is nowhere close to his playing days, but his muscle memory kicked in as he attacked the table as if he was about to leap for one of his signature vicious dunks. It was a valiant effort, but the result was worthy of a Shaqtin’-A-Fool nomination.
Fans react to Shaquille O’Neal’s acrobatic entrance
The clip of Shaquille O’Neal’s impressive entrance was posted on social media and fans in the replies had creative responses to his impromptu stunt. Some expressed astonishment at the table staying put despite the Hall of Famer dropping his entire weight on it.
One fan thought O’Neal’s sudden appearance onscreen was a planned stunt.
Another fan noted that the Hall of Famer looked visibly slimmer than he has in the past.
O’Neal’s visible weight loss isn’t a mirage. In September 2023, the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar told Entertainment Tonight that he’s lost significant weight. Explaining what prompted the weight loss, he said,
“I was getting chubby and couldn’t even walk up the stairs. I didn’t like the way I looked in the mirror. I was like, ‘I’m gonna lose 20’ and then I was trying to lose 20.”
O’Neal had lost 55 pounds when he did the interview in September and has seemingly lost more in the subsequent six months. His significant weight loss is probably the only reason the table stayed intact despite the 7’1″ behemoth landing on it with full force.
