NBA fans slam Shaquille O’Neal’s ‘cringe’ comment about Rui Hachimura as Shaq reveals favorite Lakers trade

NBA fans slammed Shaquille O’Neal after the TNT analyst said he didn’t know who new Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura was.

Hachimura made his Lakers debut on Wednesday after LA traded Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks for the forward earlier in the week.

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Hachimura became the first Japanese-born player to wear purple and gold in the 113-104 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

But his big moment was spoiled by the failure of the NBA’s exclusive distributor in Japan, NBA Rakuten, which prevented many fans from seeing the game.

O’Neal, 50, then joined the rain on the forward’s parade, saying he didn’t know who the former No. 9 was during one TNT postgame show earlier this week.

“Unless you’re a top 10 player, I don’t know who you are… I don’t watch the Bullets or the Wizards,” he said.

Shaq then doubled down on his claims when asked about the latest Lakers signing on The Big Podcast with Shaq.

“I don’t know who the hell that is.”

“Excuse my French but come on Rob we’re trying to win championships.

“Who is this? No seriously. Show me a picture of him.”

O’Neal said he knew the Lakers sent Nunn to DC in exchange for Hachimura.

But, the legendary center added, he thought LA ​​should have tried to bring in Wizards star Bradley Beal instead.

“My Lakers, we all want to win them championships,” he said.

“If it’s not a play that wins a championship, I don’t want to see it. I don’t even know who that is.

“Bradley Beal should have said it if you’re trying to impress me.

“Come on Rob. That’s all I have to say. I don’t even know who the hell that is.”

But NBA fans didn’t appreciate O’Neal’s comments.

One wrote, “I feel like someone who gets paid to be on a nationally televised NBA show should know who the players are.”

Another added: “SHAQ IS SO TERRIFIED WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT OTHER PLAYERS.”

A third said: “Quite disappointing to be honest.”

One tweeted, “Shaq is the greatest casual in history.”

Another wrote: “Why does Shaq always hate?”

And one said, “Shows he doesn’t watch much basketball then.”

It’s not the first time O’Neal has admitted he was unaware of an NBA player’s existence.

Christian Wood called Shaq “a casual player” when the TNT analyst apologized to the then Houston Rockets Center a few years ago for not being familiar with his game.

And earlier this season, NBA icon Nikola Jokic infuriated when he spoke to him in Russian – even though the Denver Nuggets star hails from Serbia, a country with its own language.