Rashad McCants Rejoices After Shaquille O’Neal Forces Stephen A. Smith to Swallow Bitter Truth on Live TV

Shaquille O’Neal came on The Stephen A. Smith Show fully intent on not letting the ESPN veteran have peace. Smith has been locked in a heated back-and-forth with former NBA guard Rashad McCants for glossing over Kobe Bryant in the GOAT debate. When Smith tried to get Shaq to vindicate him, O’Neal scolded him for leaving his former teammate instead.

It was McCants having the last laugh at Smith’s expense. He was promptly on X with a self-satisfied brag, “Welp!!! That didn’t go the way he thought it would go did it!!!!! I accept your apology brother. Now let’s talk hoop!!” SAS’ transgression was claiming Kobe Bryant was not the second-best player in NBA history. Fans, McCants, and O’Neal took great offense to that. “So you just gonna pass Kobe up like that?” Shaq snarled at Smith.

“We as people, we’re gonna stand on what we stand on. But I have a problem with what you said. Doesn’t matter who the GOAT is, my guy should be in the conversation,” he doubled down on the stance McCants took too. He even indirectly defended McCants’ heated response, saying if he makes statements like these, “that’s when people have a problem.”

Smith backtracked and said he’s not leaving the Black Mamba out of the conversation. O’Neal wouldn’t allow that. “You are. I always hear Mike and LeBron and I used to hear Mike and Kobe. Certain people can be in the conversation, certain people can’t. Before you all say one and two you can’t leave my guy out.”

O’Neal has idolized MJ and he also hypes James. But when he’s often asked to mention his all-time faves, he’d be hard-pressed to skip out on his best teammate.

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Stephen A. Smith feuds with the Black Mamba nation

It all started when Allen Iverson put Bryant second after Jordan for his favorites. Smith slammed his all-time list to make a case that LeBron should’ve been second. He even claims that Bryant’s first three championships were only possible because Shaq was in his prime. No one told Smith that AI is as entitled to his opinions as Smith.

That’s when Rashad McCants jumped in. He went off on Smith with a long rant and an emphatic, “Don’t be trying to diminish my man’s name.” 

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Shaq is clearly echoing that sentiment. Whether Smith will drop this debate remains to be seen.