When Shaquille O'Neal savagely roasted Charles Barkley - "You kissed Dick in the mouth"
The NBA on TNT crew of Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Smith have been known for their hilarious chemistry. While being a comedic bunch, they also provide quality insights into the league from the perspective of former NBA players.
During a TNT segment back in 2014, O'Neal roasted Barkley live when he reminded him of the time he kissed referee Dick Bavetta.
"You kissed Dick in the mouth," O'Neal said. " That's the ref. He's a ref."
While the joke meant two things, the whole crew couldn't contain their laughter at what O'Neal just said on live television. Despite Smith and Barkley doing their best to say their points seriously, they still ended up failing to contain their laughter.
Before the TNT segment went to a commercial break, they showed the time Barkley and referee Bavetta shared a kiss.
Bavetta was an NBA referee back in the day, who officiated over 2,365 games and called it a career by 2014. Their interaction with one another started back when Barkley mentioned during a live broadcast of an NBA game that he could outrun Bavetta.
The race ended up becoming a reality during the 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend. The prize was $5,000, with the winner picking a charity of their choosing for donation. The NBA and TNT donated $25,000 each to the total prize money.
Shaquille O'Neal's and Charles Barkley's stats in their respective NBA careers
Both Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley are recognized as two of the greatest players to have ever played in the league.
Albeit playing under different positions, they were able to make a name for themselves amidst other fierce competitors during their time in the league.
O'Neal played over 20 seasons in the league for six different teams (the Magic, the Lakers, the Heat, the Suns, the Cavaliers, and the Celtics).
In his time with the Magic, he averaged 27.2 ppg (58.1% shooting) and 12.5 rpg. Despite the dominant stats, he was not able to win a championship until he arrived in Los Angeles.
With the Lakers, O'Neal averaged 27.0 ppg (57.5% shooting) and 11.8 rpg. He won three straight championships in Los Angeles to become one of the franchise's best players of all time.
O'Neal won a fourth ring with the Miami Heat in the four seasons he played with the organization. He averaged 19.6 ppg (59.6% shooting) and 9.1 rpg.
He would go on to play two seasons with the Phoenix Suns (16.5 ppg and 9.0 RPG) and also played one season with the Cleveland Cavaliers (12.0 ppg and 6.7 rpg). Lastly, he played one season with the Boston Celtics (9.2 ppg and 4.8 rpg).
Barkley, on the other hand, was no slouch with his stats. After being drafted fifth overall in the 1984 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, he would end up playing eight seasons with the franchise.
Barkley averaged 23.3 ppg (57.6% shooting) and 11.6 rpg, despite failing to lead the team to a championship.
After his time in Philadelphia, he came close to winning a ring with the Phoenix Suns during the 1993 NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls. However, he ended up short again of the ultimate prize. He spent four seasons in Phoenix and averaged 23.4 ppg (50.1% shooting) and 11.5 rpg.
His final seasons in the league were spent with the Houston Rockets as he averaged 16.5 ppg (48.2% shooting) and 12.2 rpg.