DeMarcus Cousins and Shaquille O’Neal have a shared history that goes beyond admiration. Cousins, who grew up idolizing Shaq for his dominance on the court, got a harsh reality check during his rookie season when he faced off against the NBA legend. What Cousins expected to be a learning experience quickly turned into a near-career-altering moment.

On the Club 520 Podcast, Cousins opened up about the physical toll of his encounter with Shaq. “Shaq almost broke my motherfu**ing back.” The 34-year-old continued, “Shaq was like 450 out there, bro like he wasn’t even moving like. And I went to go for a rebound, I jumped backwards. I just felt like I ran into a wall. My whole back cracked. I just laid on the floor bro like man just contemplating like do I really want to do this sh**.”

At the time, Shaq was wrapping up his NBA career with the Boston Celtics, while Cousins was just starting out as a rookie with the Sacramento Kings.

Shaquille O’Neal joined the Boston Celtics in 2010, near the end of his illustrious career. Known for his time with the Lakers, where he won three consecutive championships, Shaq’s role with the Celtics was more of a mentor and veteran presence. Despite dealing with injuries and being past his prime, O’Neal’s size and strength remained unmatched. His short stint in Boston was his last in the NBA, retiring after the 2010-2011 season. Even in his twilight years, Shaq’s physical dominance was something young players like Cousins had to reckon with.

Drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2010, DeMarcus Cousins quickly made a name for himself as a talented and physical player. However, the Kings were a struggling franchise, and Cousins faced constant instability, including multiple coaching changes and a lack of consistent leadership. Despite these challenges, Cousins earned four consecutive All-Star selections and became one of the league’s best big men. His early years were filled with highs and lows, but facing legends like Shaq was part of his learning curve in the league.

Despite the painful encounter, Shaq didn’t leave Cousins without offering guidance. As a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings at the time, O’Neal promised to mentor Cousins and help him become the best big man in the game. “I’m going to make DeMarcus Cousins the best big man in the game,” Shaq said. This mentorship paid off, as Cousins went on to become a four-time All-Star and earned two All-NBA second-team selections. However, the relationship between the two soured over time.

Shaq is not happy with his once-mentee

DeMarcus Cousins, in conversation with Marc J Spears in 2022, questioned the franchise. “What did Sac do for me? Besides, say my name [draft day]. I did more for them than they did for me. That’s just being honest. Just being 100% honest. I had 2 owners, 3 GMs, 7 coaches in 7 years. I was there 7 years.”

Shaq didn’t take Cousins’ comments lightly.”In order to be recognized as a great player, you gotta have a certain attitude,” O’Neal said, criticizing Cousins for not leading the Kings to the playoffs during his time there. Given their past mentorship relationship, Shaq’s words felt personal, especially considering he had once promised to help Cousins reach the top.

Although their relationship faced turbulence, it seems that over the years, Cousins and Shaq have mended their differences. Both have spoken out against players like Rudy Gobert, and Cousins even recently expressed frustration with Gobert’s Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) nomination—a sentiment Shaq has echoed for years. As Cousins continues to navigate his career, he still looks back on his time facing Shaq with a sense of gratitude. “I thank God I got out of that game without serious injury,” Cousins joked, recalling their collision on the court.

“Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.”