Every NBA player engages in feuds throughout their career. In a competitive sport where the winner gets the spoils, healthy rivalries are a part and parcel of the game. So, Shaquille O’Neal enjoying a healthy dose of rivals in his career wasn’t a surprise to anyone. However, his competitive fire has burned bright in his post-retirement life as well. Whether it’s the never-ending battle with Dwight Howard or the hilarity with Charles Barkley, the 7-footer still has a host of competitors left.

However, there’s one player who he can’t help but love. Recently, ESPN analyst Stephen A Smith also professed his respect for the 2001 NBA MVP.

Shaquille O’Neal endorses the making of Stephen A Smith

To say that Allen Iverson has respect in NBA circles would be an understatement. While he never captured the elusive championship, he captured the hearts of everyone watching. Even though basketball was objective, AI was for the heart. But, he is also responsible for giving birth to one of basketball’s most famous voices.

As he explained his career trajectory on Podcast P with Paul George, Stephen A went into detail about the impact AI had on his career. “I don’t believe I would ever have gotten the notoriety for the work that I did as a journalist if not for his [AI]’s crazy-a** self. You got the team that you’re covering and then there’s HIM.”

Shaq, who’s long been an AI fan, put up the clip on his IG story. Just recently, the four-time NBA champion even included the former MVP in his all-time Top 10 shocking some people. So, an endorsement for the 6-foot wizard wasn’t going to go unnoticed by Diesel.?

However, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows between Iverson and Smith.

As he recounted, he wrote a story about the Philadelphia 76ers legend being at a party instead of someplace else.? Due to the story coming out, the two did not talk, let alone interact, for close to two years.

The fight and the love between Smith and AI

As Smith recounts, some threatening messages were also relayed to him.?Even though he was shocked, ultimately, the two crossed paths in Atlanta. But AI was mad.

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Iverson told Smith,?“I don’t give a sh*t about the story. It’s that it was you, it was your name on the byline.”

According to Smith, he explained to AI how he didn’t write any specifics about the incident to protect me. He went further explaining,?“My boss is looking at me like we know what he doing…If you don’t write it, we will.” The Answer’s response touched the journalist.

“He said, ‘There’s nobody in the industry that could hurt me but you’… And that was the first time I looked at him and said The Brother loves me.”?

As a propagator of uplifting and respectful basketball dialogue, Iverson caused a major shift in Smith as well. Today, we are all the better for it.

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