Shaquille O’Neal’s dominance on the court during his prime needs no introduction. Even non-NBA fans know what a force the towering giant was with the ball. However, along with that came his temperament and vulnerability to lose it and pick a foul. With his imposing figure, his loyalty to his team, and the hype that surrounded him, it was clear that Shaq was not to be messed with. And now, a new story emerged regarding a possible backstage brawl, which could have been Shaq’s idea.

In a recent episode of ALL THE SMOKE, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson hosted 6-year NBA vet and 2000 NCAA champion Mateen Cleaves. The trio recalled stories from their early years with one segment regarding Shaq and Kobe Bryant, wherein they talked about a 2002 Los Angeles Lakers vs Sacramento Kings pre-season game.

Cleaves began with, “Man, that whole season was crazy because it was, if you remember, that’s when Doug Christie and Rick Fox got into a fight in the preseason.” The fight in mention took place on the court when the Kings took on the Lakers. While on the court, Christie nailed Fox with an uppercut. The whole team got involved to separate the two. However, the fight continued into the tunnel, where other players and Christie’s wife, Jackie, joined.

Cleaves continued on the podcast, “I remember Mike Bibby, one time we was going to the bus, and he was kind of hanging out in the arena before he went to the bus. He was like, ‘They out there.'” When Cleaves asked Bibby who he was talking about, he simply replied, “Shaq boys. They waiting by the bus.” As the story continued, “Whatever, go down, go down. I’m with you dawg. We better get outta this bus,” Cleaves recalled.

While Shaq was not directly blamed, it does make you wonder why he and the Lakers squad were standing in front of the other team’s bus. Cleaves also claimed that the Lakers were scared of the Kings at that time because of the history of the two teams.

The two California rivals met in the playoffs for three successive years from 2000 to 2002. After the Lakers had won in 2000 and 2001, the Kings came in with determination to overpower the 2x defending champs. And they got closer than any other team during the Lakers’ legendary run. However, the Lakers eliminated the Kings in the Conference Finals in a controversial manner.

This incident that Cleaves mentioned happened the following pre-season, where the tension must have been understandably high. However, Shaq was used to it by then and this was nothing compared to his altercation with Charles Barkley a few years prior.

Shaquille O’Neal’s mom stopped him from beating up Charles Barkley

Just like Doug Christie and Rick Fox, Shaq, and NBA Legend Charles Barkley had their on-court spat. This came years before Christie and Fox back on November 10, 1999. During a Lakers vs. Rockets game, Chuck hit Shaq in the head with the ball, and O’Neal responded with a punch.

While Barkley dodged it, the two got into a fight, which resulted in the whole team splitting them up. However, years later, Shaq would explain how his mother ended their fight. While appearing on The Draymond Green Show, Shaq recalled the night and claimed that he had a phone call with his mother.

While Shaq’s mom placed the call, Barkley’s mom, Glenn, was also there. According to him, she said, “Y’all need to stop. I already talked to Charles. He’s gonna meet you in the hallway. Y’all need to stop and hug.” Shaquille O’Neal’s mom, Lucille, has always been a guiding light for the NBA icon, and he was not going against her close friend. Nonetheless, he and Barkley were both fined for the altercation on the court. But all’s well that ends well.

O’Neal and Barkley are two of the most loved studio analysts now and their camaraderie is what sets them apart. Maybe it could be the way forward for Christie and Fox too.