It seems to be like Shaquille O’Neal is losing no time making himself snug at his soon-to-be new community.
O’Neal invaded ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” set on Thursday minutes earlier than Recreation 1 of the NBA Finals between the Pacers and Thunder.
Halfway by way of the present, O’Neal made his method onto the set and was met with tons of laughter from hosts Stephen A. Smith, Malika Andrews, Bob Myers and Kendrick Perkins.
O’Neal, who was carrying an ESPN microphone, advised Smith to “hold the mic” whereas he went over and began to mess with Perkins.
“Hold this,” O’Neal stated. “Because I’m tired of Kendrick Perkins.”
“Is this HR, man?” Perkins stated whereas O’Neal went over and gave him some playful pictures throughout an aggressive hug.
O’Neal’s shock look got here shortly after Smith infiltrated his section on NBA TV forward of Recreation 1, strolling onto the courtside set and caressing the four-time NBA champion’s head.
“Get your hands off of me, Stephen A. Smith,” O’Neal stated by way of laughter.
This change marks O’Neal’s first look on ESPN following “Inside the NBA’s” finish on TNT.
Turner is ready to nonetheless produce the present whereas licensing the rights to ESPN.
“Inside the NBA” on TNT formally ended on the finish the Japanese Convention finals on Saturday after a 25-year run on the community, with feelings flying excessive throughout the crew’s closing remarks on the final present.
“It’s been a great run, been an honor, Chuck [Charles Barkley], love you like a brother I will still whoop your ass,” O’Neal stated. “I’m glad we’re sticking together. Even if the network changes, the name stays the same.”
“To [ESPN] we are not f–king around,” O’Neal closed with, which was met with widespread applause from the Indiana crowd.
Forward of Recreation 5 of the Japanese Convention finals, O’Neal remained hopeful on the community shift, however said that he, nor any of the opposite hosts, plan to vary their present.
“And no matter community we’re coming to, we’re bringing the ache. Simply letting you understand proper now. OK, I do know everyone’s unhappy that, ‘Oh, it ain’t gonna be the present.’ The present remains to be right here, child. You may by no means kill the 4 horsemen. We coming, and we coming to take spots. We coming to kick ass and we coming to take names. And we doing it our method.
“You know, all the sadness about that show. We coming with a whole brand new show, and we don’t care who in our way. We coming to kick ass and take names. The name changes but the boys are here. We them boys.”
