After joining the Miami Heat in 2004, Shaquille O’Neal decided to test the toughness of his new teammates on day one. He hurled insults and even made bold demands to intimidate them. However, Udonis Haslem remained unfazed. Soon, this moment laid the foundation for their mutual respect.
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Shaq recounted this incident while hosting Haslem in the latest episode of The Big Podcast. He remembered demanding the then-franchise staple to grab rebounds for him. Shaq also cussed at UD to try to catch him off guard. His plan didn’t work out. Haslem stood his ground and shot back with a similar sharp jab.
UD later put ‘The Big Aristotle’ in his place. The Miami native reminded Shaq whose city he was in and subtly advised him to stay in his lane. ‘The Diesel’ was impressed by Haslem’s toughness during the exchange. He understood he could count on UD whenever things got tough. Shaq reflected on this moment, saying,
“Every time I came to a new team, I tested and UD [Udonis Haslem] passed the test the first day… ‘So, UD get the rebound’. ‘Big fella, ain’t gonna be too many more’. Now I know he hard. Already know he with me… Then he know some to it. ‘Don’t forget where you at big fella’… He is like, ‘I’m from Miami’. I was like, ‘Okay, I know not to fuck with him. He with me. Let me go to the next player.'”
On one hand, this conversation helped them earn each other’s respect. It also played a crucial role during the Heat’s championship-winning campaign the following season. Both showcased their dominance under the rim, albeit in different ways. Shaq averaged 20 points per game as a lethal scorer for this team, while Haslem anchored the defense and grabbed 7.8 rebounds.
On the other, it became Shaq’s go-to method of testing the mental fortitude of the NBA players. However, these tests started to backfire once he became an analyst.
This tactic led to beef between Shaq and Rudy Gobert
Shaq has been on bad terms with Rudy Gobert for as long as NBA fans can remember. The reason? O’Neal’s constant attempts to overlook the Frenchman’s prowess and publicly criticize him for his shortcomings.
This tension reached a boiling point earlier this month. Shaq called Gobert out for not justifying his 5-year, $205 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He blamed the 4x DPOY for disrupting the team’s gameplay and system. These comments didn’t sit right with Gobert, who accused Shaq of being jealous of his earnings and achievements.
Shaq addressed this during his appearance on The OGs. He indicated how Gobert misunderstood his words. After all, O’Neal merely intended to fuel the competitive fire within the Timberwolves star and push him to set a higher benchmark for the next generation.
“They sensitive. First of all, if you getting 250 (million) now what is your renewal check going say?… 500 [million]… I’m trying to help you get it. When I speak I try to speak from facts… I want you to protect this thing of ours because if you play well and get 500 million, there’s a kid right now in high school that could be making 700 million.”
This showcases how Shaq’s failure to adapt to the times has led to rifts in his post-retirement career. Yet, he seems unfazed by it all and continues to speak his mind.
