During halftime of the Cavs-Bulls game Thursday night on TNT, Shaquille O’Neal was confronted with a tweet wanting to know why he “sound[s] exhausted like he’s actually playing in the game and not sitting in the studio.”
Immediately after Shaq read the question aloud, everyone in the studio seemed to know where the answer was going to go. One voice began saying, “Easy easy,” while another said, “There are some kids watching, even though it’s late at night.”
Shaq, who is never one to back down from an insult, paused, smiles, picked up his mug and then offered exactly the response you’d expect: “Cause I was in the breakroom with your mother.”
Host Casey Stern added, “Having coffee, people, having coffee,” but Shaq would not be silenced, saying “And she wore me out. Your mother’s an animal. Tell your mother I love her.”
Never go at Shaq!! pic.twitter.com/Qk8qDpP9ce
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 31, 2017
@d_weevzy was not that impressed by Shaq’s insult, but the Big Aristotle was really feeling himself.
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) March 31, 2017
It’s possible that the reason everyone knew what Shaq was about to say was because he had made essentially the same joke earlier in the night.
@CobesStuff Shaq just went yard on you! @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/rW4WZJXbjI
— Bradley W. (@B_Dub81) March 31, 2017
In case you were worried about Shaq winding up in a fistfight with an angry viewer, @CobesStuff seemed pretty pleased that Shaq had joked about sleeping with his mother.
@B_Dub81 @NBAonTNT I just called her. We are both honored.
— Tom (@CobesStuff) March 31, 2017
@B_Dub81 @NBAonTNT @shaq @NBAonTNT You made my night. Seriously though. My mother is a saint.
— Tom (@CobesStuff) March 31, 2017
Keep telling Shaq he sounds or looks tired, and you’re going to keep getting the same answer.