Shaquille O’Neal did not like somebody criticizing him even one bit. “…cause Kenny and Chuck used to say off-the-wall stuff that used to make me mad…” Shaq said about his TNT co-hosts, who used to analyze his game, that he was never fond of. However, Stephen A. Smith tells a story where he was allowed to criticize O’Neal as the latter’s mother encouraged the ESPN analyst to do so.

On The OGs podcast, Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller asked Smith about the Shaq story. After crediting Shaq for his rise, Smith revealed that the legend’s mother used to egg him on to criticize her son if it was fair enough. “Mom would get on me…She rolled up on me one day and was like you too soft on my son. I don’t like the fact that you letting him off the hook do your job, hold him accountable.”

A sense of accountability was drilled in Shaq, thanks to his father Sgt. Phillip Arthur Harrison. He raised Shaq to a disciplined life and the ‘Big Aristotle’ has always thanked him for that. His mom wanted Smith to ask for the same accountability from Shaq for his performances too and that’s what Smith did.

However, Shaq believes that Smith’s success as an analyst was down to him because he became popular only after he started criticizing him. On The Big Podcast with Shaq, O’Neal first congratulated Smith for rejecting a contract worth $18 million per year in favor of $25 million and then said, “He can make but he needs to thank me…I made him who he is.”

“When he first came on, remember like you wasn’t making no money talking about the Sixers. Once you started talking crazy about me and me and you would go back and forth and you got hot… So, you’re welcome Stephen,” Shaq continued. “I can’t lie it’s the truth,” the ESPN analyst agreed, crediting Shaquille O’Neal for his success.

Why Stephen A. Smith is ready to give credit to Shaquille O’Neal

“I’m not going to let up I said, cuz I’m rooting for you, I’m not rooting against you,” Smith recalled his old argument with O’Neal. According to Smith, Shaq instantly liked him because he would never back down from criticizing the 4x Champion. Every time Smith met the Lakers’ legend, he would tell him he could do better. Once Shaq got back to him after dominating the game, “Is that good enough mother f***er?”

Stephen A. Smith’s current contract of $12 million a year expires next July, and according to reports, he is expected to be offered a new contract, ranging from $20-25 million per year over five years. With that, there is a possibility that Smith will become the first ESPN $100 million talent.

From not liking being criticized by the analyst to taking the credit for helping Smith sign a record-breaking contract, it has become a full-circle moment for Shaquille O’Neal.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.