Leon Draisaitl's jersey gift to Charles Barkley reportedly encoded a message for Shaquille O'Neal

By Anjum Rajonno

Modified May 27, 2024 04:27 GMT

Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl sent a signed jersey to NBA on TNT panelist Charles Barkley on Sunday. The jersey reportedly included a playful message directed at Barkley's fellow panelist, Shaquille O'Neal, telling Shaq to "keep his cash." This was in response to Shaq's previous comment that he would pay the Oilers not to send Barkley a jersey.

NHL reporter and host Jackie Redmond shared on her X account that she had seen the jersey after Draisaitl signed it for the TNT crew, noting:

“I saw this jersey after Leon signed it for the crew. … Leon wrote ‘tell Shaq to keep his cash’ because when Shaq got the Hyman jersey, Barkley said he wanted a Draisaitl jersey & Shaq said he would PAY the Oilers NOT to send Chuck a jersey😂.”

Despite Shaquille O'Neal's humorous claim, Leon Draisaitl fulfilled Charles Barkley's request, who was thrilled to receive the shirt during Sunday's episode of the show.

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Oilers’ Zach Hyman wore Shaquille O'Neal’s signed jersey to playoff game

The jersey exchange between Oilers players and the TNT panelists has been going on for quite some time now. Earlier last week, Zach Hyman arrived at Rogers Arena for Game 5 of their second-round playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks wearing a special jersey from NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal.

Hyman has a fun connection with Shaq, earning the nickname “Shaq Hyman” during his Toronto Maple Leafs days, a nod to his knack for scoring from the paint, quite like the NBA icon.

Last month, Shaquille O'Neal did a hilarious skit, pretending to be "Shaq Hyman" on makeshift skates, a hockey stick in hand and wearing a helmet, during the NHL on TNT show. To thank him, Hyman gave Shaq a signed Oilers jersey, and Shaq sent him his signed LA Lakers jersey through another analyst Nabil Karim.

Now it remains to be seen if Charles Barkley will send Leon Draisaitl a signed jersey soon.