Jan. 28, 2011; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Boston Celtics center (36) Shaquille O'Neal against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Celtics News: Shaquille O'Neal Called Out for 'Bullying' During His Boston Season

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 6:03 PM ET

Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal was recently shredded for "bullying" during his lone season with the Boston Celtics, 2010-11.

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His fellow then-Celtics center Kendrick Perkins, who O'Neal was supposed to back up, missed much of that year with an injury, leading to O'Neal supplanting him until the 15-time All-Star suffered a career-ending foot injury.

On a new installment of the "Road Trippin'" podcast, Perkins revealed that O'Neal's reputation as a lovable goofball teammate may not be the most accurate depiction of what Perkins experienced.

According to Perkins, O'Neal got into a conflict with Celtics shooting guard/small forward Von Wafer.

“Von Wafer is leaking,” Perkins said. “This is one of the few times that I get pissed off at Shaq. Right? ‘Cause this is bullying at this point. You know when somebody wanna fight, and you know when somebody don’t wanna fight. Von had no intentions on fighting or doing none of that," Perkins said. "That man just wanted to compete, go home, and let the chips fall where they may. Shaq in there, ‘Oh, (expletive). Oh, (expletive). Let’s take it in the bathroom. Take it in the shower. He gotta get his lick back.’ I’m like, ‘Man, sit your big (expletive) down, man, instigating that (expletive).’”

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“At this point, I feel bad. It’s one thing for a (expletive) to get ready to go to blows, and you can tell both want smoke. He wanted no action," Perkins said of Wafer. "So it was just bullying at that point. You know what I’m saying? It was a real thing, and I’m just heated, and he’s just like, ‘Take it in the shower.’ I’m like, ‘Nah, man. Don’t take it in the shower, man. Break that (expletive) up. That man don’t want to (expletive) fight.”