WATCH: Charles Barkley punches Shaquille O’Neal as the Inside the NBA team demonstrated physicality in the 1990s

The Inside the NBA crew has been TNT’s masterstroke in NBA coverage for the past couple of decades and more. Setting up an ensemble lineup comprising respected journalist Ernie Johnson in the company of three former NBA stars has set them up for success for years to come. Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and Charles Barkley, the three companions to Ernie, have used their personal basketball experience and anecdotes to add much sheen to Johnson’s pleasant and likable mode of presentation. With all four signed up for the long run, the fun doesn’t seem to be ending soon in the TNT studio.

While there are a lot of topics that have ended in disagreements within the crew, there is one stand where everyone unites. This pertains to the discussion surrounding physicality in the modern game. All four are of the opinion that the game was much more physically daunting in the past. Particularly, the three former NBA stars believe that their era, i.e., the 1990s posed a different level of physicality altogether.

And in an attempt to educate the audience, the trio decided to demonstrate the same with examples. Only for Shaquille O’Neal to end up at the receiving end of a punch from the ‘Round Mound of Rebound’.

Also read: “Charles Barkley and I Went Out For Dinner After Fighting”: Shaquille O’Neal Revealed Unexpected Aftermath of Infamous Event

Shaq got punched by Charles Barkley while demonstrating how he would physically face up to guards in the paint.

The example being demonstrated was simple. Kenny Smith was making the point of how physical every individual on the court was at all times. Smith spoke about how if he got past his defender at the perimeter, a Shaq-esque center would throw his body at him.

And it was at this instance that Barkley threw hands at O’Neal. A mere demonstration of course, of how teams got into brawls over hard fouls.

The trio wanted to show the audience how everyone came prepared to fight. In their version, the 90s saw no easy buckets in the paint and no hard fouls that went without retort.

While Superman epitomized the physicality of the 1990s, it doesn’t seem like he anticipated the punch from Chuck here. Shaq’s response therein is pure comedy. The big man goes on to chase his co-host in a hilarious sequence.

Just another instance of some Shaq-Chuck drama at the TNT studio. There is only love between the two though, even prompting suggestive questions about their “relationship”.

NBA on TNT host Adam Lefkoe mocked Shaq and Chuck about the length of their relationship on air.

Chuck and Shaq have been bickering on air for well over a decade and are set to continue at it for much longer. And the relationship they share was compared to that of two people well into a relationship, by NBA on TNT host Adam Lefkoe.

Lefkoe even went as much as to ask the Big Diesel how long their “relationship” has been going on. The former NBA champ was left speechless in response to the query.

The only thing that could have made this interaction funnier would have been Chuck’s presence in the studio. With the “relationship” set to go a longer distance, maybe we get to see Barkley posed with such inquiries too.

Also read: “How Long Have You And Charles Barkley Been Together?”: Shaquille O’Neal Left Speechless On NBAonTNT