Gradey Dick is well into his second NBA season with the Toronto Raptors, but Shaquille O’Neal still struggles with hearing his name. Earlier this season, O’Neal lost it on Inside the NBA when Charles Barkley refused to say “Dick” during a Raptors highlight package. Tuesday night, he lost it again when Candace Parker mentioned “Dick” while discussing a Raptors play.
As Vince Carter proudly said “Gradey” while watching the Raptors guard sink a crucial fourth-quarter three against the New York Knicks, Parker added her remark, which caused a moment of hesitation in the studio, despite it being his last name.
Shaq still isn’t used to hearing Gradey Dick’s name pic.twitter.com/vwSQZWfoQ5
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 5, 2025
While it may have been completely appropriate, Shaq simply couldn’t cope when Parker said “Dick” on live TV, repeatedly asking, “What’s his name?” while laughing. Last season, it was New Orleans Pelicans analyst Antonio Daniels who had a similar reaction, urging play-by-play voice Joel Myers to refer to Gradey just as “Gradey.” Unlike Daniels, Shaq seems to want everyone to keep saying his name. Despite his amusement, he continues to ask for more mentions.
The silver lining for O’Neal is that Dick is evolving into a very solid player. With Inside the NBA set to continue through a licensing agreement with ESPN next season, Shaq can expect plenty of opportunities to hear about Dick on live broadcasts.
