Picture Credit: X
American NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal mistook Tyrese Haliburton’s name with Trae Young during the NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals between the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. After the clash that saw the Indiana Pacers advance to the final, Tyrese Haliburton joined TNT’s Inside the NBA panel.
In the interview, O’Neal was seen making a mess of things when he mistook Haliburton’s name with Atlanta Hawks sharpshooter Trae Young. However, Shaq’s co-host Ernie Johnson came to his rescue and quickly corrected the Hall of Fame inductee. What followed it left everyone in splits as he blamed the fumble on the cannabis from the audience. The TNT crew was interviewing Haliburton after he led the Pacers scoring 27 points and 15 assists in the 128–119 defeat over the Milwaukee Bucks.
In a video posted by Clutch Points, O’Neal could be heard saying to Haliburton, “I don’t get to see you play a lot. It was a joy watching you today. I came in the green room, and I told Kenny, I said Kenny, Trae is the real deal.” Realising that his co-host had created a blunder, Johnson quickly quipped back and said, “So is Tyrese.” Shaq corrected himself and putting the entire blame on the cannabis, he said, “I mean Tyrese, excuse me. Ernie, it ain’t me. It’s that damn cannabis behind me.”
Notably, after defeating the Bucks and qualifying for the final of the tournament, the Pacers will now lock horns with LeBron James featuring the LA Lakers. The Lakers hold the 14-9 record while the Pacers are 12-8 and the two teams have not played each other this season.
