After a hugely successful playing career, who would have thought Shaquille O’Neal‘s stint on TNT would make him a fan-favorite analyst? One of the popular things about the show is Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaq’s sharp criticism of the modern NBA and its players. They do not beat around the bush, which is one of the reasons behind the success of the show. However, coming to the other side, how does it feel to take this criticism? Several players have been blasted on Inside the NBA on their bad nights. Does Shaq know what it feels like to be on the other side? 

Before turning into an analyst, Shaq played 19 seasons in the NBA, during which he was vehemently criticized as well. Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith are his co-hosts now, but they used to be his critics for about a decade before he joined the team. Initially, it triggered Shaq to find himself in that spot. However, he seems to have found a solution.

TNT shared an old clip of Shaq getting annoyed at Kenny Smith’s criticism. After the clip ended, the Los Angeles Lakers legend took the time to explain how he has changed over the years. He revealed, “I kind of understand what these players go through now, ’cause Kenny and Chuck used to say off-the-wall stuff that used to make me mad… Now I could understand what these players go through when we so-called criticize them.”

Shaq added an essential point further, “In criticism, there is always truth. I stopped getting mad and I would listen. I was like, ‘You know what, they really give me answers on how to continue to win.” So we can say this is a message from Shaq to the people he has criticized. Do not take it personally, rather understand the truth. These words from Shaq make a lot of sense. However, when it comes to a few stars in the league, he has hardly given them their flowers.

A few times when Shaquille O’Neal has taken the criticism too far

The first and the most famous one would be his beef with former Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard. Ever since Howard sported the Superman suit in the 2008 dunk contest, Shaq has criticized the 3x DPOY in every scenario possible. Shaq’s longstanding criticisms have been mostly on modern NBA centers.

After Howard, it is 4x DPOY Rudy Gobert, who has often faced the heat from the Big Diesel. At times from Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith as well. Shaq’s latest criticism of Gobert was in March this year. In his show The Big Podcast, Shaq called the French star “overrated“.

Shaq said, “I never thought he was a great defensive player…But defense to me is to guard that guy and shut him down. You want to impress me? Hold Joker under 15 points. All that weakside shot blocking, that’s cool. But it’s not going to work against guys like me and Joker.” Soon after this take, Gobert won his fourth DPOY. Shaq does not want people to take his criticism personally, but instances like the above question it.