The end of the ongoing NBA tournament will certainly leave a sour feeling in the minds of fans, but which will be the most bittersweet moment? For many, including me, it would be the end of ‘Inside the NBA’ on TNT. For more than a decade, Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith not only provided in-depth analysis but also entertained fans with jokes, pranks, and their bond. Shaq, in particular, had his fun by roasting Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley occasionally, along with engaging himself in antics that would bring a smile to probably anyone’s face. Amidst these final days, Shaq is now using the time to reveal some unknown details about his past.
A major part of the recent segment of ‘Inside the NBA’ saw the crew paying tribute to Chuck Cooper, and other players who ‘paved the way’ for the next generation of players. Shaquille O’Neal highlighted that the former player, who passed away in 1984, once said that when one sees the guys that paved the way for them, they should just tell him ‘thank you’. Shaq admitted realizing that he wouldn’t be here without Chuck Cooper, and without any of the other players of Cooper’s generation. The Lakers legend got to see Cooper back when he came to LSU. The lesson he learned allowed him to once give his props to an NBA legend who played around the same time as he did.
“I got to saw my idol. He didn’t know he was my idol. I told Patrick Ewing ‘I patterned my whole game after you in high school.’ He said he never knew that,” Shaq revealed. This isn’t the first time Shaq has mentioned being influenced by Patrick Ewing, who joined the NBA back in 1985, aka 7 years before Shaq did.
In a message that paid tribute to Ewing’s selection in the NBA 75th Anniversary team, the Lakers legend said, “When I was coming up, my father always said, ‘Hey! I’m gonna make you like Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and Wilt Chamberlain’”. As a youngster, Shaq certainly used to practice all the old-school moves and could have been influenced to follow in the footsteps of Russell, Jabbar, and Chamberlain.
However, he added that “I was watching Patrick Ewing at Georgetown, big guy, mean, physical, throwing people around, running up the court. And I said, ‘Dad, I wanna be like that,’ and he said, ‘I know, that’s why I got you watching the game.’ So I’m watching Patrick Ewing, he wore number 33, so as I became better, I wanted to be like Patrick Ewing.”
During his tenure at high school and LSU, Shaquille O’Neal wore 33 to continue paying tribute to Patrick Ewing. He had to switch the number to 32 upon being drafted by the Orlando Magic back in 1992, since 33 belonged to Magic player Terry Catledge, who arrived in Orlando three years before O’Neal. Even today, the 4x NBA champion holds the 11x NBA All-Star in high regard. Before the tip-off of Game 3 between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks, the official X account of NBA on TNT highlighted Shaq and Patrick Ewing meeting courtside, and taking a picture with one of their hands interlocked in a show of respect.
Shaq & Patrick Ewing are ready for Game 3 pic.twitter.com/9x491DKIEg
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 25, 2025
There is always that one person whom even the greatest people of all time have looked up to. The inspiration gained from their teachings often allows people to reach their level, and maybe even surpass it. Patrick Ewing found that the hard way whenever he had to compete with Shaquille O’Neal on the NBA court.
Patrick Ewing named Shaquille O’Neal an even tougher opponent than Michael Jordan: “make sure you get the sleep”
For many players in the 90s, dealing with Michael Jordan on the basketball court was a major task. Even after decades, so many legends tout his prowess and how the Chicago Bulls’ star kept them in check. However, Patrick Ewing is not amongst them, even though he competed against ‘His Airness’ in 43 games. For Ewing, to qualify for his top players list, one had to play at his position (Center).
“You talk about Jordan, he didn’t play in my position,” said Ewing during an episode of the Club 30 Podcast with Henrik Lundqvist. “But to me, when I’m playing against Hakeem, when I’m playing against Shaq, when I’m playing against David, those are the three top guys.”
The 11x NBA All-Star held this belief because, “When you’re playing against them, you have to make sure you get the sleep, bring you’re A-Game, and just make sure that you’re prepared to dominate them because they’re gonna try to dominate you”.
Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal stands on the sidelines before a game between the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
Ewing got to know the prowess that Shaq possesses after Shaq spent close to a decade in the league. In a 2000 interview with the New York Times, he discussed the ‘Big Aristotle’ by saying, “It’s hard to stop him one-on-one. He’s big and strong, and he outweighs me by about 70 pounds. Everyone needs to help each other. It’s got to be a total team effort.”
The fact that Patrick Ewing had to seek his whole team’s help to stop a player who used to idolize him showed just what Shaquille O’Neal was like during the prime of his NBA career. Game recognizes game. Shaq continues to hold Patrick Ewing in high regard. Before bidding adieu to his time with ‘Inside the NBA’, it was good that he got to share at least this information with the rest of the NBA fandom.
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