“You Better Shut Your A** Up Hubie”: Shaquille O’Neal Once Recalled Gary Payton Getting Into It With The Legendary Coach Mid Game

Gary Payton had established a reputation for being one of the biggest trash talkers in NBA history. Even though his overall gameplay was adequate to back his on-court antics, at times, the 9x All-Star had taken things a bit too far. Shaquille O’Neal recently narrated one such story of Payton engaging in a hilarious altercation with legendary head coach, Hubie Brown.

Recalling the exchange, Shaq stated, “Me and Gary running a pick and roll and Coach Hubie Brown kept going, ‘Go into the screen, he ain’t gonna hit a shot. He is old. He is washed up’. Gary turned around, looked at the bench, ‘You better shut you a** up, Hubie’…After the game…he put his stuff on and ran to the bus. We got down there. Gary had coach Hubie Brown on him, ‘Man, don’t you be talking to me like that’. We had to pull Gary off Hubie Brown”.

The situation occurred during the Los Angeles Lakers’ home clash against the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2003-04 season. Payton initially engaged in a verbal altercation with the opposition’s Earl Watson. The then Grizzlies’ head coach, Brown, intervened solely to defend his player by demanding the then-Lakers guard tone down.

However, this only added fuel to the fire, escalating the heat of the scenario. Payton refused to overlook Brown’s comments, paving the way for his controversial endeavors after the game. Eventually, players from both teams had to rush to the spot to de-escalate the situation, marking an unprecedented sequence of events in the NBA.

How did Gary Payton reflect on his actions?

When Shaq was recently revealing the intricate parts of the matter, Payton seemed to be enjoying all the minute details of the event. Years later, the 2006 champion possibly recounted this memory as a hilarious one. However, all was not this nonchalant and laid-back when the situation took place.

Soon after the game’s conclusion, Payton refused to provide any clarification from his end. While rushing off the court, the then-Lakers star mentioned, “I don’t want to talk about nothing…Nothing happened, nothing” [as per Los Angeles Times].

Over time, it raised question marks over the professionalism of Payton. His behavior had gotten him into trouble several times that season, worrying the franchise beyond necessary. This instance compounded the misery, as then-head coach Phil Jackson, “That [an impending fine from the NBA] obviously is something that I would be concerned about”.

That said, things have largely smoothened out over the years. Not only Payton, but nearly all the NBA enthusiasts currently view this scenario as one of the funniest moments in the league’s history. This also provided a glimpse into the unique selling point of the NBA during those years, making the fans reminisce.