It was the episode of The Big Podcast we were all waiting for. Shaquille O’Neal recorded his All-Star Weekend show with his ultimate sidekick, Allen Iverson. As much as they’re the ultimate duo at the top of the Reebok food chain, they didn’t have many opportunities teaming up together on the court. That remains one of AI’s regrets, though he fashioned himself a 6-foot social machine called “Baby Shaq.”

“I gotta brag on you, man, cuz I love you,” he told Big Shaq first. He then spoke to Adam Lefkoe, who gets to work with O’Neal on this podcast and on TNT Tuesday. “This dude right here, man I was always jealous of his teammates. Like, always and had nothing to do with basketball, nothing to do with basketball just being around him, just that energy, that live … what is it live, laugh, love I don’t know if it’s the right order…” To put it simply, Iverson is awed by how Shaq embodies the Live, Love, Laugh spirit.

The Answer arrived in the NBA in 1996, when Big Diesel’s partnership with Penny Hardaway had already been formidable and there was hype about what he would do with the nationwide top prospect, Kobe Bryant. They had all of the 76ers star’s envy. “I’m like damn, like, y’all got a chance to be around them every day.” 

He has the same love for his former teammates, Aaron McKie and Eric Snow, also famous friendships within the Sixers franchise. But he was dying to be Shaq’s teammate. However, he doesn’t think that would’ve been fair on their other friends in the league.

‘Baby Shaq’ spared his opponents

Earlier in the episode, Iverson touted himself as ‘Baby Shaq’ because “I wanted to dominate like Shaq.” The 2001 MVP dominated just the same. O’Neal admitted that if they did team up, their partnership would be as dominant as Shaq and Penny and Shaq and Kobe.

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Which Iverson claims wouldn’t be nice of them. “I always thought that if I played with Shaq, it wouldn’t be fair.” It’s a logical assessment. Both have been teammates in All-Star settings and were merciless on their opponents. During their All-Star pairings, we also got to see Shaq’s larger-than-life personality, including the big goof’s “shoe phone” skit.

These days they’re a dominant partnership in the revival of Reebok. As the president and vice president of basketball operations, they have made some notable signings. But if they were partners on the court, how ‘unfair’ would it be on others?

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