“Words don't hurt me; Me personally, I'm not going to the ref and saying get these people out of the game” - Shaquille O'Neal offers his take on LeBron James' altercation with fans in Indiana

Four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal is known for being an outspoken personality. In 2015, he launched a podcast called “The Big Podcast with Shaq” where he discusses everything from sports to music and pop-culture. In his latest episode, his co-host Nischelle Turner asked him about LeBron James’ recent altercation with a couple of fans in Indiana. LeBron James was heckled by fans, who were later suspended from the stadium after LeBron demanded it from the referees.

The question posed to Shaquille O’Neal was what would he do in such a situation, to which he responded by saying –

"This era is different. You know what Bill Russell had to go through?"

Shaquille O’Neal praised the legendary Bill Russell for ignoring the noise and focusing on his craft back when the former Celtics forward was playing. He then followed it up with a suggestion of what he would do in LeBron’s place. O’Neal also explained how fan comments, like the ones James faced wouldn’t bother him, saying –

“Words don't hurt me. Me personally, I'm not going to the ref and saying get these people out of the game.”

Shaquille O’Neal would rather go with another approach, something along the lines of what he claims to have done before. Imagining co-host Spice Adams as his teammate, he said –

“Hey Spice, when we’re up by 5, just throw the ball over there [near the problematic fans], and when I dive out of bounds, I’m gonna elbow that dude and his wife in their mouth. Period.”

Shaquille O’Neal’s comments are a clear indication of how he feels about fans who over-step their boundaries. The fans in question were subsequently ejected from the game for violating the NBA’s Fan Code of Conduct. On the podcast, Shaquille lightened the mood by sharing how he would deal with fans who would approach him, while he sat to eat some pancakes before a game.

Shaquille O’Neal has always been in and around the league

After his professional career as an NBA player came to an end, Shaquille O’Neal stuck around in different capabilities. Apart from “The Big Shaq Podcast”, he is also an analyst on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” show along with host Ernie Johnson and analysts Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley. The show is very lively for NBA fans, as Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley often cross swords, mostly in a healthy manner.

Shaquille O’Neal joined as an analyst before the 2011-12 season and the show is widely followed for its inside scoops, highlights, pre-game and post-game analysis. His additional segment to the show, named “Shaqtin’ a Fool" has garnered a lot of attention. It's a segment in which Shaquille O’Neal along with other analysts, showcase and comment on the hilarious errors that occur during games by both fans and players.

Shaquille O’Neal was one of the most dominant centers in the NBA. During his 19 years in the league, O’Neal was awarded three All-Star MVPs, three Finals MVPs and one regular season MVP. Shaquille O’Neal averaged a double-double with 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds throughout his career. In 2017, along with Allen Iverson and Yao Ming, Shaquille O’Neal was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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