Shaq Humorously Crashed Into A Christmas Tree On Inside The NBA (Again), And The Video Sparked Funny Responses From Fans

Shaquille O'Neal speaks on Inside the NBA
(Image credit: TNT)

With the holidays come a slew of traditions, from singing Christmas carols to wrapping gifts with loved ones. Something I’ve come to expect most years is the prospect of seeing Shaquille O’Neal crash into a Christmas tree on live TV. Yes, the former basketball player has collided with a tree on Inside the NBA multiple times throughout the years. 2024 was no different, as O’Neal once again fell into a massive tree, and the video has garnered some truly funny responses from fans.

Shaq’s unfortunate run-ins with the massive trees are usually caused by some kind of wild accident. However, this time around, it was the big man himself who willingly decided to take a dive. During a recent episode of Inside, the Diesel humorously threatened to jump into the tree. His co-stars – Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley – seemed skeptical as to whether he’d do it. However, the former Los Angeles Laker followed through, and you can see the result in this clip from Instagram:

It may just be me, but it always looks so painful whenever the 7′ 1″ media personality falls. However, he always seems to get back up and, on the whole, fans usually find it funny whenever he has an unfortunate encounter with a tree. That doesn’t seem to be all that different this year. Many flooded the comments section of the IG post to share their funny thoughts on the matter. Check out some of them:

  • The hatred between Shaq and the tree is next level 😂😂 - kevinr_ferguson
  • If that tree could talk 😂😂😂😂 - joyce_joyawilli
  • TNT definitely got a crazy insurance policy on Shaq 😂😂😂😂 - duh_profit
  • Shaq vs 🎄 is the new Chuck vs women of San Antonio ☠️ - chipsservant
  • That tree needs workman’s comp - lookwutqdid
  • Them poor branches 😂😂😂😂 - jerrodc374
  • Shaq vs the Christmas tree is like Peter vs that big Chicken man in Family Guy💀💀 - jeyk47_

The four-time NBA champion has been falling or running into Christmas trees for years now. As early as 2014, Shaq has been wiping out on national TV, much to the delight of fans. One of my favorite instances of this happened in 2022, at which point the star was shoved into the tree by Kenny Smith. It was a sight to behold, and the mere thought of it makes me chuckle even now. So, all in all, this has certainly become something of a staple for TNT’s long-running sports show.

Additionally, it would seem that Shaq, Ernie Johnson and the crew are also establishing some other A+ traditions for their show. This year, the Inside the NBA crew had photos taken for the holidays, and they’re absolutely perfect. All four co-hosts posed for a number of snapshots, and it’s the kind of content I love. The pics may be part of a joke, but they solidify just how much of a family unit these guys really are.

What really warms my heart this holiday season is the knowledge that the sports talk show is set to continue after this season. For a while, it seemed as though Inside the NBA would be canceled due to Warner Bros. Discovery losing the broadcast rights to the league in 2025. However, in November, TNT and ESPN forged a partnership that would allow the series to be licensed out to the latter network for the next 11 years. It was welcome news for fans, and even Charles Barkley – who’d been critical of WBD amid the situation – admitted that he must “go back to kissing ass.”

So viewers will hopefully have plenty of other chances to see Shaquille O’Neal get flung into a Christmas tree in the years to come. I applaud the man for his commitment to the running gag and hope he stays safe as he continues to indulge in this hilarious tradition.

Erik Swann
Senior Content Producer

Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.