In a clash of sporting titans, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and former NFL star turned media personality Shannon Sharpe have engaged in a verbal spar over the MVP award bestowed upon Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic.
The beef ignited during O’Neal’s interview with Jokic on TNT following the latter’s third MVP win. O’Neal expressed his belief that the award should have gone to Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a sentiment that caught the attention of Sharpe.
“Shaq should have five MVPs,” remarked Sharpe on the Nightcap podcast, insinuating that O’Neal’s admiration for Jokic stemmed from envy. “He sees a guy like Nikola Jokic that’s not as dominant as him, gets three (MVP awards) in four years, I think a part of Shaq is envious of that.”
Sharpe escalated his critique by questioning O’Neal’s place in the pantheon of basketball greatness, citing O’Neal’s solitary MVP accolade as insufficient to merit consideration in the greatest of all-time discussions.
“It’s hard for me to put somebody in the GOAT conversation with one MVP,” Sharpe asserted. “So we going to take somebody with one regular season MVP and put him in front people that got three, that got four, that got five. If he had my work ethic, he had 40,000 points.”
O’Neal, never one to shy away from confrontation, swiftly retorted to Sharpe’s comments. Taking to Twitter, O’Neal challenged Sharpe’s credibility by highlighting his ranking as the 11th-best tight end in NFL history, contrasting it with his perennial presence in top NBA player lists.
With emotions running high, O’Neal proceeded to deliver a scathing response to Sharpe via an extensive Instagram post. Accusing Sharpe of seeking attention through sensationalist remarks, O’Neal asserted his dominance in both basketball and wealth, while dismissing Sharpe’s criticisms as baseless.
“You took me sticking up for Shai as jealousy of Joker, shows how smart you are and how you say anything to get clicks,” O’Neal wrote. “So here’s some click bait for you. If you ain’t ranked in the top ten in your profession, then you can’t speak on me.”
The exchange highlights these two sporting legends’ enduring competitiveness and outspoken nature. While their rivalry may simmer for now, it’s evident that neither O’Neal nor Sharpe will back down easily, ensuring that this beef is far from over.
