An unexpected moment occurred during a recent episode of Inside the NBA when Shaquille O’Neal abruptly left the set.
This TNT show, now in its 17th season, features hosts such as former basketball player O’Neal, Ernie Johnson Jr., Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley.
On Tuesday (December 10), the hosts were debating whether ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith could outperform Smith in a free-throw contest.
“Stephen A played college basketball,” Barkley pointed out.
“So did a lot of people in the world,” Smith retorted, adding that success requires climbing to the top through championships.
Smith began to mention Jay-Z, but Barkley interrupted, noting that it might not be the right time to bring up the rapper.
Smith was amused, while Johnson Jr. and O’Neal tried to stifle their laughter.
O’Neal found it so difficult to keep a straight face that he had to stand up and briefly retreat behind a wall to regain his composure.
Barkley’s interruption came after Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, faced accusations of raping a 13-year-old girl along with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in 2000.
Jay-Z has strongly denied these allegations.
A statement from the rapper was posted on social media following the emergence of the claims.
In part, it reads: “My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee.
“What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle.
“No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!
“These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!!”
Tony Buzbee responded, asserting that his client has not demanded any money.
“As far as the allegations in the complaint filed, we will let the filing speak for itself and will litigate the facts in court, not in the media,” he stated on Twitter.
Buzbee represents the 120 individuals who have made allegations against Diddy since his arrest in New York in September.
The lawyer has vowed to ‘uncover those who facilitated such behavior behind closed doors’.
He added: “The biggest secret in the entertainment industry, that really wasn’t a secret at all, has finally been revealed to the world. The wall of silence has now been broken.”
If you have encountered any issues discussed in this article, you can reach out to The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Alternatively, you can chat online at online.rainn.org.