Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley form one of the best duos in the NBA currently. However, it is not on the court. The two Hall of Famers are an integral part of ‘Inside the NBA’ and their jokes and pranks on each other are a fan favorite. 

Although they share a good bond now, they were arch rivals during their playing days in the league. Interestingly enough, when the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Houston Rockets, Shaq and Chuck almost came to blows.

During an interview, the hosts asked Barkley about O’Neal and what gets him mad. Chuck talked about how he makes Shaq angry by talking about strategy and O’Neal has only one reply to it, championships. He then touched upon the infamous fight between him and the Lakers legend which he talked about in detail.

He added, “We got tangled up. I pushed him. He pushed me. I said, ‘Well, there are 20,000 people here. I can’t let him do that and get away with it. They gonna break up the thing quickly. So, I hit him, and we went at it. I was thinking really fast on my feet because I could say, ‘I’m not gonna fight that big old dude’. Unless I got something in my hand or I can get to something.”

Safe to say, Charles Barkley arguably made the good decision of not fighting Shaq. Standing at a phenomenal 7-foot-1 inches frame, O’Neal was one of the most dominant players of his era.

Why did Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley almost fight?

Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley were two of the best players during their era. Naturally, their matchup was always meant to be intense. When the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Houston Rockets in 1999, things got a little out of hand.

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After a foul, Barkley threw a ball at Shaq in frustration. This wasn’t taken well by O’Neal as he reacted immediately and the two almost came to blows with each other. O’Neal and Barkley were both ejected after their fight by the officials.

Interestingly enough, a call from their mothers in the locker room resolved the fight between the two, and their relationship improved over the years.

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What is your favorite memory of Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley? Let us know in the comments down below.