The feud between two of the most important names in sports media has reached a brand new level. NBA legend and TV analyst for TNT’s “Inside the NBA” Shaquille O’Neal dusted off his recording equipment and released a diss track targeting three-time Super Bowl winner and “Club Shay Shay” host Shannon Sharpe over comments perceived as ” jealousy” .”

On Friday, May 10, Shaq, who had not rapped for several many years, called himself the so-called “50 Cents NBA” and warned that he would release a song. “50cent NBA will make his final response when he wakes up from his nap. then I’ve had enough. that is the way it is, it isn’t funny when a rabbit has a gun,” he wrote on X, then mentioned that a mixtape could be released soon. Shortly after, he posted an untitled diss track on his Instagram page.

The rematch between O’Neal and Sharpe began on May 8, when Nikola Jokic became only the ninth player in NBA history to win the MVP award at the very least 3 times. While Jokic had a remarkable 12 months, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the OKC Thunder, also generally known as SGA, had an impressive season, considered by many to be his most impressive. Shaquille O’Neal was one in all those that believed this and participated in a TNT interview with Jokic shortly after he was announced because the 2024 MVP. O’Neal used the chance to specific his opinion to Jokic that he felt SAG was more deserving of the award .

“Joker, because the president of the Big Man Alliance, you might be the vp of the Big Man Alliance, you understand I really like you. You’re the perfect player within the league and I would like to congratulate you,” O’Neal said. – I would like you to listen to it from me first. I feel SAG needs to be MVP. This isn’t any disrespect to you, but congratulations.

Jokic didn’t appear to react to O’Neal’s comment until he made a joke.

“Thank you, Shaq. We don’t judge people here. All right; that is your opinion,” Jokic said, then started laughing. “Kidding.”

Shannon Sharpe disagreed with O’Neal’s approach and suggested that the previous Los Angeles Lakers great was “jealous” of Jokic, and even complained about O’Neal’s apparent lack of labor ethic while he was within the NBA.

“Shaq is never brought up in GOAT conversations,” Sharpe told Chad “Ochocino” Johnson on May 8 throughout the “Nightcap” podcast. “And I think part of him is jealous of that.”

“If Shaq had my work ethic, he would have 40,000 points,” Sharpe concluded.

During his storied profession, O’Neal won one NBA MVP award, 4 championships and three NBA Finals MVP awards.

When the NBA big man learned of Sharpe’s personal jab, he responded by sharing a listing written by a former Dallas Cowboys scout. Sharpe was rated eleventh in NFL history by scouts. O’Neal also suggested that Sharpe was not qualified to discuss his Hall of Fame basketball profession because he was not considered a top-10 player at his position.

“You thought I was @shai out of jealousy? Shows how smart you are and how you say anything to get clicked,” Shaq wrote in an Instagram post to Sharpe on May 9. “If you’re not in the top 10 in your profession, you can’t say Ja. Don’t forget that I know what you did to get you where you are. I’m jealous; sounds like you’re jealous. I know you want to stay relevant by gossiping on your podcast. We don’t believe you. You need more people. In case you forgot, four rings, three finals, top 50 and top 75 MVP. Google me.”

In response, Sharpe admitted that he wasn’t as great an athlete as O’Neal after they played.

“I never claimed to be as great as Shaq,” Sharpe said. “I will say I have what I have because I work hard.”

He then noted that O’Neal, by his own admission, didn’t at all times take his weight-reduction plan and training as seriously as he could have when he was an NBA player in his prime.

Sharpe noted, “It was Shaq who said he didn’t work as hard, didn’t train as hard, didn’t eat as well as he should, right?”

Shortly after Sharpe’s response, O’Neal kept his promise to supply more responses of his own and dropped his diss track, which unfortunately didn’t go down well with most fans.

“Shannon hurt your heart,” wrote one commenter on Instagram.

“It’s okay, even though it’s getting corny. Shannon was literally defending you right before he said it, then he responded and said he didn’t blame you and all the things he said was what you said. You didn’t work that tough. You wish you had. You also admitted that you just went too far with Dwight on account of personal feelings,” one other fan wrote.

“Shaq may be very sensitive. His uncle didn’t say anything that will be disrespectful to him. He analyzed and criticized Shaq’s game and legacy with no disrespect or criticism,” one other commenter responded on Instagram.