“I’ll Def Give You a Chance to “Try” to Win”: Michael Phelps Challenged NBA Legend, Shaquille O’Neal, for Round 2, 8-Years After Their First Encounter in Pool

Michael Phelps solidified his reputation as the best swimmer of his generation by winning 28 gold medals in the Olympics. The way Michael started his career by dominating nearly all swimming contests in Beijing stole everyone’s heart. Even after his retirement, he has been admired by many million people. 

The basketball great Shaquille O’Neal also comes under the same category. Both legends have been differentiated from time to time due to their height difference. In addition, once Michael challenged Shaq for a race through Twitter.

Michael Phelps challenging Shaq

Once, the NBA legend, who has won four championships, faced Michael during the final episode of Shaq vs. However, the race turned out to be a piece of cake for Phelps. To claim victory, he effortlessly moved through the waves.

In addition, Shaq gave tough competition to Phelps. But Shaq’s timing was 38.76, while Phelps’ winning time was 38.59. As a result, O’Neal lost the race to the most decorated swimmer of all time. In 2017, asking for the race again, Phelps tweeted a challenging tweet for Shaq. 

In the tweet, he wrote, “@SHAQ I hear you want to race again??? Any truth to this? Def not coming outta retirement, but I’ll def give you a chance to “try” to win.” The tweet also showcased Phelps telling his fans that he would not make a return from his retirement. Meanwhile, the race which happened between the legend was impeccable. The swimming challenge happened in three phases. In the first phase, they had a freestyle competition in which he had to swim 25 yards while rival Phelps had to swim 50 yards with a five-second lead.

READ MORE: 7ft Giant Shaquille O’Neal Made Michael Phelps Feel Inferior About His Height Once: “Stood Next to Someone Nearly a Foot Taller”

However, the 28-Olympic medalist lost the race to the NBA legend. During the second phase, they had to swim for 200m. Phelps won at the end of the second phase, leaving Shaq behind. Michael had to cover 75 percent in the last race, while Shaq had to cover 50 percent in the freestyle. Phelps also won the third race. In the end, Michael won the competition. 

The drastic difference in Phelps and Shaq’s height

During the first event, when Michael met Shaq, the NBA professional left him stunned. The reason behind his surprise was his astounding height. After seeing Shaq at ESPY awards, he had a unique feeling, and Michael wrote about it in the book “Beneath the Surface.” Phelps penned, “One year, I met Shaquille O’Neal at the ESPYS and have never felt so short in my life. It’s been a long time since I stood next to someone nearly a foot taller.”

While Michael is six feet four inches tall, Shaquille stands at seven feet. Despite the huge difference in their heights, both athletes have been incredible in their fields. Their heights gave them enough advantage in their respective sports. Shaq’s height is one of the leading factors for his success in his basketball profession. On the other hand, Michael’s flexible and long torso made him a legend.

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