Shaq’s behavior for Jokic MVP announcement was “disrespectful”

The NBA world is talking about Nikola Jokic winning his third MVP, but also the behavior of Shaq during the announcement on Wednesday night.

Shaquille O’Neal immediately hijacked the segment on TNT after Jokic was announced the winner, going on a bizarre rant about how he thought Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should’ve won the award.

Then, when the crew of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaq had Jokic on to discuss the honor, Shaq told him to his face he didn’t think he should’ve won it.

Jokic handled the situation with grace, but the whole thing rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.

That included 104.3 The Fan’s Zach Bye, who went off on Shaq during the final hour of “The Drive” on Wednesday.

“I will always love Shaq, but that was bush league, that was crap, that was garbage. To use Jokic’s MVP moment, to interrupt Ernie Johnson, and have the leading… not even a question but to tell him he didn’t think he should’ve won MVP. I don’t care how many times you finished second. You finished second in the MVP because you didn’t maximize your gifts,” Bye said.

Shaq did win only one MVP during his time in the NBA, and clearly sounded bitter Jokic now has three to his name. Bye kept going, saying Shaq is taking out his own failures on Jokic.

“You should’ve won seven championships and you couldn’t stay in shape. You’re one of the great players of all-time that actually underachieved. And to use Jokic’s moment against him like that was so disrespectful,” Bye said.

And finally, Bye thinks it’s okay for Shaq to have his opinion. But to use it to steal Jokic’s glory simply wasn’t cool.

“To tell him in his moment ‘hey just to let you know, thank you for joining us, you shouldn’t have won,’ not the time or place. Unnecessary, absolutely hated it,” Bye said.

To listen to full episodes of “The Drive” on 104.3 The Fan, click here.