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Watch: Former Baseball Legends Play Basketball With Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith

Published 05/05/2022, 6:15 AM EDT

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The crew member of NBA on TNT invited MLB legends Pedro Martinez, Curtis Grandson, and Jimmy Rollins of the TV series Major League Baseball on TBS. The NBA crew included legends like Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley. They also played a 3v3 game of basketball between the NBA and the MLB. Fans quickly reacted to this as it was quite unexpected to see sports personalities of two sports together and playing a game.

In a blend of two sports, the former players from the MLB and the NBA came together under one roof. Commentator Ernie Johnson Jr. was there as well. NBA on TNT first started in 1989. MLB on TBS began in 2007. Both the shows are quite famous in their respective sports. Pedro Martinez is a former pitcher who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and the Philadelphia Phillies.

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They added Martinez to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. Curtis ‘Grandyman’ Granderson played for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Miami Marlins. He retired in 2020. Jimmy ‘J-Roll’ Rollins played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and the San Francisco Giants.

MLB legends play some ball with Shaquille O’Neal and others

Even after a month of Opening Day 2022, every game played has been as nail-biting as the earlier one. So this was the perfect timing for NBA on TNT to invite former MLB players. On the show, they started playing a 3v3 game of basketball between the NBA and the MLB. The NBA guys thought they could easily defend themselves by man-marking and blocking.

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But little did they know that they were going to get a tough time by the MLB guys. Pedro Martinez started dribbling the ball as he analyzed every player’s position. The great Shaquille O’Neal marked Curtis Granderson. Still, Granderson scored a layup shot when Shaq tried blocking him. It filled the atmosphere with chaos, laughter, and love.

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The respect that these players have for one another is worth noticing. Being from different sports, and enjoying the time together, is a sign of a true sportsperson. Every single person on that show is a legend who has given everything to their respective games. It was an episode to remember.

WATCH THIS STORY: WATCH: Shaquille O’Neal Left in Tears With Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson After Mocking Charles Barkley for Claiming to Do the Unthinkable

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Written by:

Tanveer Deodhar

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Tanveer Deodhar is a US Sports writer at EssentiallySports. Currently pursuing a degree in media and communication studies, young Tanveer is a sports enthusiast. With a varied interests, he is an ardent follower of MLB, NBA, NFL, and Formula 1.
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Edited by:

Simar Singh Wadhwa