“When you are my guy, I mess with you,” Shaquille O’Neal once said about teasing his former teammates. In his memoir Shaq Uncut, the Big Aristotle explained that he was very tough on Kobe Bryant. However, Shaq’s approach changed when he joined the Miami Heat. He wasn’t as harsh as he had been during his time with the Lakers. Still, once in a while, Shaq’s Heat teammates got a taste of his tough love. And while his words may have affected them, it was always in a positive way, just as he intended.

Playing alongside Dwyane Wade for the Heat, Shaq came across Keyon Dooling, who was famous for his trash-talking and often tried it with him as well. The Big Aristotle usually chose to turn a blind eye. But just one time, he didn’t. Dooling revealed that when he once made fun of Shaq’s dressing style, the 4x NBA champ humbled him real quick.

“I had something to say and Shaq just didn’t want to hear that (he said) I can’t take this s–t no more. I’m sick of this, shut the f–k up, you thousandaire,” he said. He took a jab at the former NBA player’s income. “It took a little while for me to understand what he were calling us, then I say okay this mean we don’t make millions yet we in the thousands,” Haslem explained as he laughed.

This sparked a conversation about Shaq’s leadership on the teams he played for. Haslem also praised the Big Diesel for his knowledge, contributions to the team, and how much he cared for his teammates. Dooling agreed that while being Shaq’s teammate came with its own challenges, it was ultimately all worth it. “Shaq, man, playing with him made life better and it made life bigger…And sometimes you going to have to get your your pride wounded, he got me that day,” he said. Shaq also shared the clip on his IG story. This shows they share a close bond despite the trash-talk. 

Shaq’s attitude isn’t any different with modern players as well. From JaVale McGee to Dwight Howard and Donovan Mitchell, the Los Angeles Lakers legend has never hesitated to share his honest take on a player. He once claimed that he learned this tough love from none other than former Lakers coach Phil Jackson. Considering Haslem and Dooling’s opinions, we can only imagine how tough Shaq was during his playing days with the Lakers.

Why did Shaquille O’Neal soften his tough love in Miami Heat? 

It goes without saying that some modern players have had issues with him berating them. Some were upset with his harsh criticism. However, the 4x NBA champion believes that it only helps players improve.

Kobe Bryant was the same way. Shaq shared that the late legend was different. His tough words always motivated Bryant to work harder. Perhaps that’s why the two formed such a dangerous duo, winning three consecutive championship titles. However, their time together was also turbulent, which saw numerous arguments between them.

Speaking of the Heat and Wade, Shaq recalled that the player he nicknamed ‘The Flash’ was different from Bryant. He felt that what fueled the Mamba’s competitive spirit to challenge back and improve might not have encouraged Wade. “I realized pretty quickly I could not treat him the way I had treated Kobe. You couldn’t be too hard on D-Wade. He wasn’t as tough as Kobe, wasn’t the type to fight back and challenge you,” Shaq said. While he has always had an intense competitive spirit to win, the champ also looked out for his teammates. It’s just that the Big Diesel just had his own bizarre way to do so.