Inside The NBA Hosts Use Shaq’s Sick Day To Roast Him: ‘Bring Your A** To The Studio’

Inside the NBA’s Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith roasted Shaquille O’Neal for not showing up to work on Thursday evening.

When the trio opened up their pregame show, the 7’1″ big man was noticeably missing from his usual seat left of the screen, and Johnson, the show’s host, wasted no time in discussing O’Neal’s absence from the program and referred back to when the three used to host Inside The NBA without a fourth person.

“This is like 13 years ago; it’s just the three of us,” Johnson said.

Barlkey immediately took a shot at O’Neal, who could not defend himself from the attack.

“You know what Kenny call those? The good ol’ days,” Barkley said.

He received a fist bump from Smith for the jab. The three laughed, and Johnson explained why the seat next to him was empty.

“Hey, big fella, Shaquille O’Neal not feeling well tonight; we send him our best wishes,” Johnson said.

Both Smith and Barkley told Johnson to “please stop it” as TNT showed O’Neal’s face superimposed onto someone’s body with a blanket and holding their arm up to cover a cough.

“Just go down the street; you’ll see him at the hookah bar,” Barkley said.

Smith argued that O’Neal should not be in Atlanta, where the show is produced, and he should have gone away to a warm island.

“If he took off and stayed in Atlanta, he’s an idiot,” Smith said. “If I’m taking off, I’m going to be in Tahiti.”

Johnson argued that if he was sick, he couldn’t go anywhere, but Barkley and Smith did not believe O’Neal was actually ill.

“He’s not sick! Superman doesn’t get sick!” Smith said. “I thought Superman doesn’t get sick!”

O’Neal had many nicknames during his career, and the DC Comics superhero was one of them.

Barkley insisted that O’Neal rub Icy Hot on his body and just show up to work. Which is one of the many companies O’Neal has a sponsorship deal with.

“Bring your ass to the studio,” Barkley said.

O’Neal usually insults Barkley on the show, but in his absence, Smith took over that role after Barkley said, “I’m gonna say something I’ve never said before.”

Smith responded with, “what’s that? You’re full?”

This was the first show back since Inside the NBA hosted the All-Star game in Salt Lake City, Utah. Where O’Neal and Barkley complained about the lack of things to do.

Watch above via NBA on TNT.