Live television always has the potential for unexpected and funny moments, and Shaquille O’Neal delivered one during last night’s Inside the NBA broadcast. While discussing the state of NBA teams, Shaq mistakenly congratulated Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups for turning the Detroit Pistons around.
“I like what Chauncey is doing, first of all I don’t watch Detroit how bout that”
Here’s Shaq congratulating Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups on turning the Detroit Pistons around. 👍 pic.twitter.com/roe6qnGaKE
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 12, 2025
This mix-up quickly led to laughter in the studio. Candace Parker, one of Shaq’s co-analysts for the night, chimed in with a humorous response, playfully pointing out the error.
While unintentionally, O’Neal’s comments highlighted Billups’ deep connection to Detroit. As a former Finals MVP who led the Pistons to their 2004 NBA championship, Billups remains a beloved figure in the Motor City. However, in his current role, Billups is focused on steering the Portland Trail Blazers through the challenges of the Western Conference.
On the other hand, this is a classic Shaq moment: from commenting on how Detroit is playing saying “I like how he’s playing, also this guy too”, to then, after getting caught for the Billups mishap, saying “But I don’t watch Detroit”, all while collecting $15 million a year…. says a lot about the current state of the NBA.
