Home

NBA

Shaquille O’Neal Is Baffled After His “Intimate” Relationship With Rockets Legend Revealed on Camera

Published 08/19/2022, 2:30 PM EDT

Follow Us

Shaquille O’Neal and his time in the league need no introduction. However, he is known by millions around the world for more than just his basketball. He is a well-known media personality and an integral part of ‘Inside the NBA’.

The show also features other NBA legends namely Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith alongside the host, Ernie Smith. Recently, Kenny joined Shaq in his fan favorite, The Big Podcast with Shaq.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Kenny’s introduction to the podcast was more than hilarious as O’Neal got utterly embarrassed. Nichelle Turner referred to Kenny as the man who knows Shaq ‘intimately’. This was enough to trigger Shaquille O’Neal as he set the record straight.

Shaq said, “No, no, no. Strike that off camera. Don’t know ‘he’ in America know me intimately. Let’s just get that straight right now.” Seeing the Los Angeles Lakers legend embarrassed was an interesting sight as he is normally on the opposite end of the spectrum.

How long have Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith worked together?

The ‘Inside the NBA’ show is a fan favorite. The expert analysis given by the panelists and the occasional banter and fun between them rakes in viewership from across the world.

Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal and former Houston Rockets star Kenny Smith are two of the stars of the show. Barkley, Smith, and Ernie Johnson formed the core of the show when O’Neal was still playing in the league.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

After his retirement, O’Neal joined the award-winning show in 2011. Shaq and Kenny have worked together for more than a decade now and have taken the show to newer heights.

via Imago

While the two might have a good relationship now, they shared a fierce rivalry on the court. The two have faced off on 12 occasions in the league and have 6 wins to their name respectively. Out of the 12, 8 have come in the regular season and 4 games in the playoffs.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Although Kenny Smith is on equal terms with Shaq when it comes to the number of wins, he is nowhere near when it comes to individual performances.

Shaq averaged 23.9 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in the 12 games. On the other hand, Smith averaged 9.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. (Source: landofbasketball.com)

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

WATCH THIS STORY: Stephen Currys 3 off court controversies

Are you a fan of Inside the NBA? Tell us about your favorite panelists and favorite moments in the comments down below.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Abhinava Ghosh

1,823Articles

One take at a time

Abhinava is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor's in Journalism and Mass Communication. Abhinava has been following NBA for the past 6 years and is a huge fan of the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.
Show More>