Shaquille O’Neal‘s last year in Los Angeles was eventful. From his feud with Kobe Bryant escalating to the team’s shocking loss in the NBA Finals, there were many moments that O’Neal would probably like to forget. However, there was one bizarre incident that Shaq wouldn’t have expected to witness. Former Memphis Grizzlies guard Bonzi Wells recently revealed the most unexpected physical altercation he ever saw during his playing days involved NBA legend Gary Payton and then-Grizzlies coach Hubie Brown. O’Neal, Bryant, and other Lakers players and staff had to stop Payton from choking Brown in the parking lot!

While the Los Angeles Lakers ended up winning the game against the Grizzlies 103-95 in April 2004, there was a verbal altercation between Payton and Brown during the game. After the game, Payton, known as one of the NBA’s best trash-talkers, then approached the veteran coach on their bus. The 9x All-Star grabbed Brown, who was around 71 years old at the time, by the throat, bringing his face close while constantly swearing.

“He (Payton) grabbed him (Brown) by his throat man and started choking him man and we all like, ‘No G, no!’ We all grabbing him like, ‘G man you tripping.’ Shaq came over there and grabbed him like, ‘Man you choking an old man like that man stop it’…we kind of finally broke it up man I was like, ‘G you crazy,'” Wells said in a conversation on the Underdog podcast.

Reaction Info: Was Gary Payton wrong for his actions?

At the time, Payton didn’t address the incident, saying, “Nothing happened, nothing.” Anyone who knows Payton won’t find this all that surprising, though. After all, there was a time when his former team, the Seattle Supersonics, had to bring in a designated trash-talker just so The Glove would come to practice out of his love of talking trash.

The presence of other players like Shaq, Kobe, and the rest helped restrain Payton. While they won that night, it wasn’t to be for them that year. LA’s superteam of O’Neal, Bryant, Payton, and Karl Malone couldn’t win the championship as they lost to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals. And this also proved to be Shaq’s last season in a Lakers jersey. He was traded to the Miami Heat in the offseason.

Nevertheless, this altercation between Payton and Brown was certainly something O’Neal didn’t expect to see. The 4x NBA champ also confirmed the story during one of his interviews. As both O’Neal and Wells stated, it was the trash-talking that annoyed Payton.

When Shaquille O’Neal revealed Hubie Brown’s trash-talking to Gary Payton 

O’Neal shares a great friendship with The Glove. After their time with the Los Angeles Lakers, the duo once again got a chance to play alongside each other for the Miami Heat. The two went on to win the championship in 2006. Both gave a hard time to the Miami Heat Head Coach Pat Riley. But recalling this old altercation, O’Neal shared that Payton wasn’t impressed by Brown’s trash-talking. He didn’t take it lightly and if anything, it angered him.

“Me and Gary running to pick and roll. And coach Hubie Brown kept going ‘going to the screen. He isn’t going to hit a shot. He (Gary) is old. He is washed up.'” Gary turned around and looked at the bench and said, ‘You better shut your a** off Hubie’…At the timeout, Gary told me ‘After the game, I’mma whoop his a**’,” Shaq revealed a couple of years ago.

Trending

Big Setback for Shaq, as $155 Billion Company Eyes Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith Post-TNT Era

May 17, 2024 10:54 PM EDT

“Could Hear Jeanie Buss & Rob Pelinka Chuckling”: LeBron James Declared to Be Manipulating NBA World With Obvious Bluff

May 17, 2024 12:58 PM EDT

Countdown Starts for Charles Barkley and TNT Crew as Ernie Johnson Makes Heartfelt Confession Before Parting

May 16, 2024 06:00 AM EDT

Caitlin Clark in Deep Waters as Indiana Fever Shatter Embarrassing WNBA Record After Defeat Against Sabrina Ionescu and Co.

May 17, 2024 07:05 AM EDT

Exclusive: Shaquille O’Neal Has Big Plans to Dethrone Nike With Allen Iverson & Reebok, Ex-Agent Reveals

May 17, 2024 02:15 PM EDT

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

Follow Us

Hilarious pranks and insane fights: there are many moments when the players or coaches lose their calm. Might also be a reason why the Lakers didn’t end up winning the championship that year. Nonetheless, an incident to remember for sure. What do you think?