No other duo in sports television at the moment comes close to matching the sheer entertainment value that Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley bring to the table. When the two banter with one another and rile each other up, it’s easy to forget that they happen to be two of the greatest to ever pick up a basketball.
But their relationship is a lot deeper than that. The two are fast friends considering that they have been working together for about a decade on Inside The NBA. And while they have both acknowledged the bond they share, it does not stop them from roasting one another whenever an opportunity is presented.
O’Neal, in particular, loves to take shots at Chuck about everything, from his lack of rings to his personality, and he did so once again during an appearance on the ‘Late Show with Stephen Colbert’. He answered a deep question hilariously while also managing to roast Barkley in the process.
(starts at 3:37 minutes):
Stephen Colbert: “What do you think happens when we die?”
Shaquille O’Neal: “Nobody knows. Heaven? Barkley’s going to hell, so… heaven? I’m going to heaven.”
What happens after death is a question that is at the core of what makes people human, so trust Shaq to answer it with a hilarious roast of Barkley. While it’s obvious that he is making a joke at his friend’s expense, it’s evident that the two have each other’s back when it counts, with Shaq recently stepping in to defend Barkley during his beef with Kevin Durant.
The thing with Shaq making a joke like this is that Barkley will likely be waiting to return the favor with interest. Chuck’s wit is as sharp as anyone else’s, so when ‘Inside the NBA’ returns next season, Barkley will be ready to go with some zingers of his own. It works out well for the fans, who get some premium entertainment for free.
