Let it never be said that the Inside the NBA crew doesn’t know how to have fun with each other. During last night’s “EJ’s Neat-o Stat of the Night” segment, Shaquille O’Neal tried to make Charles Barkley an offer he couldn’t refuse. The only problem was, Chuck actually did refuse it.
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The segment was sponsored by an apparel company called Shosum, as in “Shosum Respect,” “Shosum Grit,” etc. Jay O’Connor, the nephew of company founder John O’Connor, was in-studio to show off some of the company’s offerings, which include a wide range of athletic apparel for men and women.
Shaq turned to Chuck and held up a Shosum sports bra that looked roughly a million times too small for someone once nicknamed “The Round Mound of Rebound.” That’s when the offer came.
“I bought you this exclusive,” Shaq told his fellow Hall-of-Famer. “If you put this on right now, Charles, I’ll give you a million dollars to your favorite charity.”
Like Shaq, Sir Charles has been famously philanthropic over the years, but even he couldn’t bring himself to take one for the team here. “No, I’m not putting that on,” he said. “I don’t think that’ll fit,” he added sheepishly.
Shaq was left disappointed by the refusal, but he did get Charles to take the bait a couple of months ago when he presented him with a special coat for his birthday. In honor of Charles turning 62, and to honor the star of Sanford and Son, Redd Foxx (for some reason?), Shaq gifted his coworker a “red fox” coat, even coming around the Inside the NBA desk to drape it over his shoulders.
Shaq’s gifts to Charles Barkley always seem to come with a catch
Perhaps because it was his birthday, Chuck was in a good mood, and he graciously accepted the coat. He even did a little dance after Shaq told him that the coat came with a theme song, which turned out to be Rich Baby Daddy by Drake featuring Sexyy Red.
“Hands on your knees, hands on your knees,” Shaq repeated as Chuck did his best Sexyy Red impression, shuffling his way in front of the desk. Thankfully, that was the only lyric Shaq had, because there’s not much else in that song he could have gotten away with on TNT, even late at night.
Shaq’s gift last night was obviously meant in jest, but he’ll need to do better than that to get back in Chuck’s good graces after their earlier dispute over the Giannis Antetokounmpo-Tyrese Haliburton’s dad situation. Given the way Charles laughed at Shaq’s offer, we’re guessing he’s already over that confrontation, but next time, Shaq will need to find something in Barkley’s size.
