*Was this supposed to be tough love?
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has perplexed the internet after a weird post-game exchange with Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz.
Moments after leading his team to a 129-118 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans – the Jazz’s seventh straight win, thanks to Mitchell’s game-high 36 points – Shaq came straight for the star during his interview on TNT’s “Inside the NBA.”
“I said tonight that you are one of my favorite players but you don’t have what it takes to get to the next level,” Shaq started. “I said it on purpose because I wanted you to hear it. What do you have to say about that?”
Mitchell appeared thrown by the question.
“Aight,” he responded before expanding. “I’ve been hearing that since my rookie season. I’m just going to keep doing what I do.”
Shaq said: “That’s what I wanted to hear you say, love your game brother, keep it up.”
Huh?
Watch below:
Here’s the entire interview:
Shaq was in a weird mood all day on Thursday. During a virtual drop-in to ESPN’s “First Take” hours earlier, he tried to convince co-host Stephen A. Smith that he still had six-pack abs. He texted Smith a photo as “proof” while on the air.
Watch Stephen A’s reaction below:
