Charles Barkley’s first impression of Shaquille O’Neal certainly wasn’t flattering.
“The first time I saw Shaq in person, I said man – No. 1: He ugly,” Barkley said on Sunday’s “Inside the NBA,” keeping the the duo’s trolling streak alive.
Barkley managed to keep a straight face, while co-host Kenny Smith laughed out loud at the joke.
Barkley had been in the middle of complementing Shaq before he unleashed the savage burn.
“Shaq, Kevin Durant, this kid here [Giannis Antetokounmpo]. Seven feet guys who you’re like, ‘wow.’ To be that big, that strong and that fast… it’s hard to match it,” Barkley said of his fellow Hall of Famer, who is 7-foot-1.
Barkley took aim at Shaq while the crew discussed the Hawks-Bucks conference finals series, which Milwaukee and Antetokounmpo leads 2-1.
Game 4 is Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET in Atlanta.
The Hawks said point guard Trae Young is questionable after a Monday MRI found a bone bruise on his right foot. He suffered the injury in Atlanta’s Game 3 loss when he inadvertently stepped on the foot of referee Sean Wright late in the third quarter.