Former NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal – who is known for his humor and calm demeanor – is no longer silent. In a shocking live interview, Shaq suddenly “fired” directly at the most powerful sports commentator in America, Stephen A. Smith, accusing him of “unfairness and double standards” in the treatment of black athletes.
With a deep voice and cold eyes, Shaq said directly on the air:
“Stephen A. is always looking for opportunities to criticize black athletes. But when talking about Alexis Ohanian – Serena Williams’ husband – he suddenly becomes gentle, polite and extremely careful. Why is there a difference?”
Without stopping, Shaq continued:
“If you have the energy to criticize us, keep that energy for all of us. Don’t change your voice just because the subject has a different skin color, different status or different wallet.”
The statement sent shockwaves through the American sports world. The online community exploded, with the hashtag #ShaqVsStephenA flooding X (Twitter), with millions of comments in a few hours. Many praised Shaq for “saying what no one else dared to say,” while Stephen A.’s supporters fiercely countered, saying that this was just “an overblown media drama.”
One fan wrote: “Shaq is a legend. If he said this, it must be for a reason.”
In contrast, another account commented: “Stephen A. is just doing his job. Shaq is trying to turn a small matter into a storm.”
However, what made the incident more dramatic was that some former NBA players also unexpectedly sided with Shaq.
Kendrick Perkins posted on X: “Shaq just said what the whole locker room was thinking.”
Matt Barnes shared a clip of Shaq speaking with the caption: “I’ve been there. There are things that should never be said on television.”
An inside source at ESPN revealed that Stephen A. Smith was “very angry” when he heard these words, claiming that Shaq was “attacking his professional honor.” According to this source, Smith asked the First Take production team to “prepare a special opening” for the upcoming episode – where he planned to “tell it all, no one cares.”
Meanwhile, a person close to Shaq revealed the opposite: “Shaq has no regrets. He just spoke the truth that everyone saw but no one dared to say. And he is ready to face Stephen A. on air.”
On social media, many people began to imagine the scenario of “Shaq vs Stephen A.” – a direct confrontation on television, where the two most powerful men in the sports commentary world would “fight wits and reason” in front of millions of viewers.
One veteran journalist commented:
“Stephen A. has the pen and the microphone. Shaq has the charisma and the clout. If these two really went head-to-head, it would be the biggest media war ESPN has ever seen.”
For now, as both remain silent in public, one thing is certain: this war of words has only just begun, and no one knows who will be next.
