Shaquille O’Neal delivered one of the year’s most memorable announcing blunders when he mistakenly stated that Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups was coaching the playoff-bound Detroit Pistons. Richard Jefferson, having recently stepped into a prominent role at ESPN alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke, wasn’t going to let Shaq live it down, even while he was in the studio for the Pistons vs. Miami Heat game.
During that broadcast, Jefferson seized the chance to poke fun at Shaq, clarifying that it is actually J.B. Bickerstaff who coaches the Pistons, not his former Detroit teammate Billups. He even paused for a wink at the camera, signaling to viewers that he was in on the joke.
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— Vito Corleonie (@VCorleonie) March 19, 2025
The Pistons triumphed over the Heat, thanks to Cade Cunningham’s game-winning three-pointer with under a second left on the clock. Perhaps instead of dismissing the Pistons as dull, Shaq could take a moment to study Cunningham, who is fast becoming a contender for the “next face of the NBA.” It’s usually Kendrick Perkins who faces backlash from the Inside the NBA crew for his remarks that they “don’t watch any basketball.” We’ll see if Richard Jefferson’s subtle and humorous jab receives any fiery retaliation.
