Shaq and Kevin Hart roasting each others outfits “you dressed like a p*rn director” 😂

It was NBA All-Star weekend, and the energy in the arena was electric. The stands were packed with fans, celebrities, and legends of the game. On the sidelines, the broadcast crew was gearing up for a special segment—one that would feature two of the biggest personalities in sports and entertainment: Shaquille O’Neal and Kevin Hart.

The cameras rolled as Ernie Johnson, the ever-composed host, tried to introduce the teams for the upcoming celebrity game. But before he could even finish his opening sentence, Kevin Hart, never one to miss an opportunity for comedy, sidled up behind Shaq and started the night’s first volley.

“Hold on, back up, man! Why you all on my back like that? Back up, go, Ernie!” Kevin exclaimed, feigning offense as he tried to peek around the mountain that was Shaquille O’Neal.

Shaq turned around, a bemused grin on his face, towering over Kevin by more than a foot and a half. The contrast in size was always a crowd-pleaser, but tonight it was their outfits that would steal the show.

Shaq was wearing a suit—if you could call it that. The jacket was a bit too shiny, the slacks a bit too tight, and the shoes… well, the shoes looked suspiciously like something you’d see in a hospital ward.

Kevin couldn’t resist. “Shaq, first things first—why are you dressed like a porn director? What is happening, man? And where did you get your outfit, the Kids ‘R’ Us?”

The crew erupted in laughter. Even Shaq’s deep, rumbling chuckle filled the air. But the big man wasn’t about to let Kevin have the last word.

“Shut up, man. Focus. Just focus, it’s about basketball, okay?” Shaq tried to steer the conversation back on track, but Kevin was just getting started.

“Do me a favor so they can see them tight-ass slacks on that tight-ass—get off me! Turn around so they can see them! Why do you have on nursing shoes with a suit?”

Shaq, always a good sport, spun around so the cameras could take in his full ensemble. The slacks were, indeed, comically snug, and the shoes—white, practical, and flat—looked like they belonged on a nurse doing a twelve-hour shift, not an NBA legend.

The studio was in stitches. Kenny Smith was doubled over, Candace Parker was shaking her head, and Ernie, ever the professional, was struggling to maintain composure.

But Shaq wasn’t done. “Listen, there’s a lot of things I can say. Hey, now, stop playing. Focus. Take that neck brace off!” he shot back, pointing at Kevin’s tank top, which was so tight it looked like it might actually be medical equipment.

Kevin, quick as ever, fired back: “Can you tell the people where to get that training bra tank top you got on? Shut up, Shaq. You sign that, you coin that, you keep it up.”

The banter was relentless. It was the kind of roast that only comes from genuine camaraderie and mutual respect—the kind of teasing that says, “We’re friends, and this is all love.” The audience, both in the arena and at home, couldn’t get enough.

Ernie, seeing his chance to regain control, tried to redirect the conversation. “Steph, look, we need to get to basketball. How did you get your guys ready and tell me how they prepared, from the coaching genius that you are?”

Shaq, ever the professional, tried to answer. “Well, I just wanted to pick all these legends because at some point, three or four years from now, you probably won’t see these guys ‘cause they’ll be retired. So I just wanted to put all these guys together and show the young guys and show the youngsters who runs this league. It’s actually a beautiful thing.”

But Kevin couldn’t let him off that easy. “Beautiful thing? It’s a team of bad knees, KN is what we should call it! Bad knees and bad backs is what we should call it!”

The laughter was infectious. Even Steph Curry, who had been waiting patiently to talk basketball, was grinning ear to ear.

Shaq, never one to back down, pointed to Kevin’s tank top again. “Take that neck brace off, man. I’m surprised you still got circulation in your arms with that thing on.”

Kevin puffed out his chest and strutted around. “You jealous ‘cause you can’t wear one of these! You put on a tank top, it turns into a sports bra. That’s why you mad. You mad ‘cause you can’t pull it off.”

The roast continued, each jab more creative than the last. Shaq pointed out Kevin’s shoes, which looked like they were borrowed from a toddler. Kevin countered by comparing Shaq’s slacks to yoga pants. The crew egged them on, and the segment quickly became the highlight of the night.

But beneath the jokes was a genuine affection. Shaq and Kevin had known each other for years, and their friendship was built on a foundation of mutual respect and a shared love of making people laugh. They both understood the value of not taking themselves too seriously.

As the cameras panned out and the broadcast moved on to the game, the laughter lingered. Fans online immediately began sharing clips of the exchange, and within minutes, “#PornDirectorShaq” and “#TrainingBraTankTop” were trending on social media.

Later that evening, backstage, Shaq and Kevin shared a fist bump. “You know I love you, right?” Kevin said, grinning up at the big man.

“Of course, little man,” Shaq replied, ruffling Kevin’s hair. “But next time, I’m picking your outfit.”

Kevin laughed, “You pick my outfit, I’ll pick your shoes. Deal?”

“Deal,” Shaq said, and the two walked off, still trading barbs and laughter.

In a world where egos often dominate, Shaq and Kevin Hart reminded everyone that the best kind of style is the ability to laugh at yourself—and the best kind of friendship is the one that can withstand even the fiercest roast.

Kevin Hart Claps Back at Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen Curry, and WNBA Stars For Trolling His Size

Kevin Hart and Shaquille O’Neal (L), Kevin Hart and Stephen Curry (R). Credits: Imagn Images

The 2025 NBA All-Star Game featured many new experiments to enhance fans’ experiences. In addition to the new mini-tournament, the NBA added comedian Kevin Hart as the first-ever on-court emcee. Hart didn’t shy away from making jokes throughout Sunday night’s festivities, and as a result, he found himself on the receiving end of a few, too.

The majority of them were about his height, which is something he should’ve seen coming. Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen Curry, and a few WNBA stars mocked the actor for his stature. However, Hart, in typical comedian fashion, refused to let them get the final laugh.

Hart took to Instagram to share three separate posts, taking digs at everyone who trolled him. The first of his social media onslaught featured a picture of Hart with Rickea Jackson, Courtney Williams, DiJonai Carrington, and Aaliyah Edwards.

However, due to their jokes regarding his height, Hart cropped their faces out of the picture only showing himself. In the caption, he said, “Me & My WNBA Sisters… This is my payback.”

Hart didn’t forget about Shaq, who was extremely vocal with his disses regarding the emcee’s height ahead of the game. And why wouldn’t he be? At 7 feet tall, Shaq towered over the actor and used every opportunity to remind him of that fact.

In retaliation, Hart posted a picture of himself, Shaq, Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Damian Lillard, following the same format as before.

He cropped everyone’s head except for his. His caption said, “Off with their heads!!!!!!!”

The final installment of Hart’s Instagram trilogy featured Warriors star Stephen Curry. He hilariously shared a potential fake quote from Curry asking Hart to spare him from cutting his head from the picture.

His words weren’t convincing enough, as Curry suffered the same fate as everyone else.

Hart along with the broadcast stars seemed to have fun during the event. However, the majority of fans didn’t share the same sentiment toward Hart’s involvement in the game.

Fans react to Kevin Hart emceeing the 2025 NBA All-Star Game

The NBA attempted to provide more life to the All-Star Game with Hart’s inclusion but it didn’t quite hit the mark. According to the majority of the general public, it came across as a gimmick, which the NBA could’ve done without.

NBA analyst Skip Bayless spoke as the voice of the people sharing his distaste for Hart’s comments mid-game on X. He wrote, “I’m sorry, these game-disrupting stunts emceed off the top of his head by Kevin Hart are just … painful. Just endless. Just lame and awkward.”

Bayless wasn’t the only person who felt this way about the All-Star Game.

For plenty of fans, the constant breaks and comments from Hart took away from the product on the court. One user wrote, “All-Star game is doing too much. Just play basketball. No one is trying to watch Kevin Hart in 2025.”

This may seem like emotions coming from the heat of the moment, but fans are still expressing their distaste the following day. Adam Silver admitted that the league was drifting too far from the root of the All-Star Game, which is basketball.

However, the additions to this year’s game pushed it further than it’s ever been. One user wrote, “Never let Kevin Hart near the basketball court with a mic ever again. The fans wanna see basketball being played! What we don’t want is what we saw last night. How many brains does it take to figure that out?”

It is clear the NBA’s experiment involving Hart as an emcee didn’t work. They are going to need to start from the ground up to bring the All-Star Game back to its former glory.