Shaquille O’Neal and the NBA on TNT crew have had a few awkward postgame interviews with young players over the years but what happened late Thursday night with Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell might have been the most bizarre one yet.
Mitchell and the Jazz beat the Pelicans, 129-118, for their seventh straight win. The fourth-year guard finished with a game-high 36 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
Immediately after the game he went on TNT and had to hear Shaq, who said earlier in the night that Mitchell was just a scorer, say: “I said tonight that you are one of my favorite players but you don’t have what it takes to get to the next level. I said it on purpose because I wanted you to hear it. What do you have to say about that?”
What did Mitchell have to say?
“Aight.”
This was awkward and weird of Shaq to do. Mitchell handled it perfectly:
Donovan's response when Shaq tells him he doesn't have what it takes to get to the next level:
"Aight." pic.twitter.com/t64PxpeTFD
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 22, 2021
Mitchell had more to say to reporters:
Donovan Mitchell on the comments from Shaq and Barklet on @NBAonTNT.
"I hate to take a win like this and make it about what they said about me. Look at how we played, look at how we guarded. I'm happy."
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) January 22, 2021
NBA Twitter had reactions:
I have no idea what Shaq was trying to accomplish with this, but it certainly did not go the way he thought it would.
Also like, Donovan Mitchell isn’t one of these young dudes who has plateaued. He just dropped 36 PPG in a playoff series last year. Why are you challenging him? https://t.co/QaPgwMtvlL
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) January 22, 2021
I don’t get the point of Shaq doing this. At all. It’s really weird. https://t.co/0NN33kcR7C
— Tyler Greever (@Tyler_Greever) January 22, 2021
Mike Conley, on Shaq's comments about Donovan Mitchell: "I’ve been a big fan of Don’s and seeing the way he’s grown, even before he was here. I don’t know how you can make a statement like that regarding his progress at such a young age. He's gotten better every year."
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) January 22, 2021
Shaq tells Donovan Mitchell he doesn’t have what it takes to get to the next level after dropping a casual 36-7-5 and shooting 75% from three pic.twitter.com/ZPW6OzusAD
— Ryley (@PrimetimeRyley) January 22, 2021
I will say this ….
Donovan Mitchell is everything that is good in the NBA and everything the NBA should stand for. He plays with joy. He is classy. He is committed to the community, He remembers everyone who helped him on his journey.
Thety should promote and cherish him
— David Locke (@Lockedonsports) January 22, 2021
Donovan Mitchell is a yearly all star calibre guard who is a truly elite scoring talent
if you want to have the conversation about whether or not he's a #1 on a championship team then fine, but not the ideal look during the postgame interview after he drops 36 ahaha
— Stevie Wonder1369 (@wonder1369) January 22, 2021
Shaq expected him to debate with him and literally got nothing back 😂. I’m Donovan Mitchell energy for the rest of 2021.
— Jerm (@IamJerm24) January 22, 2021
Shaq buggin stay hating on the next gen of hoopers 😭 https://t.co/1jRwK9tqEb
— 𓅓 (@yeayessirskiii) January 22, 2021
