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Thousands Booed Together Before 7’1 Shaquille O’Neal Throws a Fit of Rage with One Punch to Upstage Charles Barkley on NBA All Star Weekend

Published 02/17/2023, 12:11 AM EST

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Inside the NBA went live from Utah to preview the upcoming All-Star weekend recently. Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson appeared on stage in front of hundreds of fans to kickstart the event. During one of the segments, a special announcement was made for the Round Mound of Rebound. Joining forces with the official snack of the NBA, Ruffles, Charles Barkley was promised a special flavor reveal at the end of the segment. However, in true Inside the NBA fashion, the flavor reveal had to be creative, entertaining and obviously, hilarious.

Therefore, the production crew brought in a pinata for Barkley to smash through to unravel the flavor of chips chosen for him. This momentous task posed to be a juicy source of entertainment for fans, as Sir Charles struggled to break through the paper bag, amidst a booing crowd. As a result, the Big Diesel decided to step in to save the day.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 13: (L-R) Former NBA players Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller and Shaquille O’Neal attend the 2016 ESPYS at Microsoft Theater on July 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

Ruffles are the official chip of the NBA ahead of the All-Star weekend. Several players have their own customized flavor with the brand. LeBron James and Jayson Tatum are arguably the biggest names on the snack’s roster. Moreover, the Boston Celtics superstar even came out with an exclusive sneaker to commemorate their partnership. The brand is also set to host the Celebrity All-Star game this year during the much-anticipated weekend.

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Now, joining the army is Charles Barkley with a limited edition flavor of his own. To reveal the product, Ruffles sent out a pinata for Barkley to go through. After multiple failed attempts, Shaquille O’Neal showed off his Big Diesel power.

Shaquille O’Neal smashes through the pinata, embarrassing Charles Barkley

Thousands watched in anticipation after Johnson announced Barkley’s new endorsement deal. An exclusive flavor with Ruffles was a huge moment for the Hall of Famer. To make it memorable, the brand even made custom loafers for the 11-time All-Star. As the moment approached a pinata was introduced on the set in the shape of a Ruffles bag. All that was left was for Barkley to pierce it with a stick. However, after several strikes, the 11-time All-Star couldn’t get the job done.

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Adding fuel to the fire, Shaq got the crowd to boo Barkley along with him. As if that wasn’t enough, Shaq then went on to show Chuckster how the job is done. All it took for the four-time champion was one big punch to rupture the pinata and let the chips fly.

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Barkley’s new flavor was revealed to be, quite unsurprisingly, ‘Hot Dog’. The big punches from the big man got the crowd going, especially after Shaq, Chuck and Ernie started throwing down bags of chips from the stage to the fans below. The chip will only be available during the 2023 All-Star weekend in Utah.

Several new events have been announced for the period this season. In addition, the annual All-Star game will also have a new format with both captains selecting their teams right before kick-off. Shaquille O’Neal and the TNT crew will be covering the action throughout the weekend. And one thing is for sure, there will be several such moments between The Big Aristotle and Barkley.

Are you going to try the new Ruffles flavor? Let us know your views in the comments below.

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WATCH THIS STORY: 10 times Chuck roasted NBA stars.

 

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Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar

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Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He is a student studying at NM College in Mumbai, aspiring to pursue sports management to follow his love for sports. Anuj started following the NBA last year, and he loves to combine his passion for writing with his understanding of basketball.
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