Shaquille O’Neal was forced to apologize to Yao Ming after making derogatory remarks. 

Shaquille O’Neal once made derogatory and racist remarks about Yao Ming, for which he was immediately chastised by his father and apologized to the China international.

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the NBA’s most dominant big men. Shaq’s outsized personality and powerful athleticism have earned him worldwide adulation and one of the most fervent fan bases in sports and entertainment.

During his 19-year NBA career, O’Neal played for six different teams and was named a nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on December 21, 2015. Shaquille O’Neal’s off-court accomplishments rival his athletic ones, with success in acting, music, television, and gaming. Shaq is currently an analyst on Inside The NBA.

O’Neal was a true powerhouse with exceptional speed and athleticism. As a result, he became a very dangerous player to try to stop. Shaq’s dominance was accompanied by some trash-talking. On one occasion, however, O’Neal appeared to have crossed the line.

O’Neal got into trouble in 2003 after making an insensitive remark about Houston Rockets rookie center Yao Ming. Little did he know that Yao had idolized him for years, prompting Shaq’s father to insist on a genuine apology from his son.

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After making insensitive remarks about Yao Ming, Shaquille O’Neal was forced to apologize to the Houston Rockets star

Shaquille O’Neal once made fun of Chinese sensation Yao Ming by disparaging the Chinese language. O’Neal was heavily chastised for his remarks, which came across as both disrespectful and demeaning to the Chinese community.

“Tell Yao Ming, ‘Ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-soh.'”

Shaq was forced to apologize and clarify that his comments were not intended to be negative or hateful.

O’Neal said that his own stepfather, Phillip Harrison, was particularly upset by his actions. According to Harrison, Yao used to write letters to Harrison explaining his admiration for Shaq. The Diesel explained to Evans that his father had demanded that he demonstrate remorse and increased awareness.

“You need to respect this young man more,” Shaq’s father told him.

Even Shaq briefly indulged in this racism towards fellow Hall of Famer Yao Ming: “Tell Yao Ming, ‘Ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-soh,’ ” apparently mocking the Chinese language. https://t.co/fqxlGE5ZeW

— Jones Murphy (@JonesMurphy) March 22, 2021

Yao, for one, said he never took offense to O’Neal’s initial remarks. He added that it was critical to bridge the gap between different cultures and large populations.

“I believe there are many difficulties in two different cultures understanding each other, particularly in countries with very large populations, such as China and the United States,” Yao told the Los Angeles Times. “The world is shrinking and people are becoming more culturally aware.”

Nonetheless, O’Neal made certain to comply with Harrison’s request. He accepted full responsibility for his disrespectful comments. He publicly apologized for the Chinese comments and clarified that he is not a racist.

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