Kendrick Perkins accuses NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal of “bullying”

Shaquille O’Neal is remembered as one of the greatest centers in NBA history, a four-time champion and Hall of Famer whose dominance on the court defined an era. But former teammate Kendrick Perkins recently shed light on a different side of the “Big Diesel,” accusing him of “bullying” behavior during their brief time together with the Boston Celtics.

Speaking on the Road Trippin podcast, Perkins recalled a locker room altercation during the 2010–11 season — the final year of O’Neal’s storied career. According to Perkins, a heated scuffle broke out between Delonte West and Von Wafer, and Shaq wasn’t trying to stop it. Instead, he was fueling the chaos.

“Von Wafer is leaking. This is bullying at this point,” Perkins said. “You know when somebody wanna fight, and you know when somebody doesn’t wanna fight. Von had no intentions of fighting or doing none of that. That man just wanted to compete, go home, and let the chips fall where they may. Shaq in there, ‘Oh, (expletive). Oh, (expletive). Let’s take it in the bathroom. He gotta get his lick back.’ I’m like, ‘Man, sit your big (expletive) down, man, instigating that (expletive).’”

“Leave us alone roach!”

Chuck & Shaq beat up a Kendrick Perkins punching bag in response to Perk saying they “obviously don’t watch basketball” talking about the Knicks pic.twitter.com/7aKdHtL5YY

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 24, 2024

Perkins only spent half the season with Boston before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, while O’Neal retired at year’s end after an injury-riddled campaign. The Celtics finished the season with a 56–26 record but fell short of another championship run.

Despite the incident, Perkins carved out a solid NBA career. Drafted 27th overall in 2003 by the Memphis Grizzlies before being traded to Boston, he became a key defensive anchor for the Celtics’ 2008 title team. Over 14 seasons, he also played for Oklahoma City, Cleveland, and New Orleans.

Since hanging up his sneakers, Perkins has reinvented himself as a blunt, outspoken analyst, appearing regularly on ESPN and NBC Sports Boston shows such as NBA Today, Get Up, First Take, and SportsCenter.

As for O’Neal, his Hall of Fame legacy remains untouchable on the court — but Perkins’ story offers a rare peek into the sometimes turbulent locker room dynamics of one of the NBA’s most colorful personalities.

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