Revered for his dominance during the early 2000s, Shaquille O’Neal was the centerpiece of a Los Angeles Lakers dynasty that captured three consecutive NBA titles. He also added a fourth championship in Miami before wrapping up a Hall of Fame career that spanned six franchises. Since retirement, he has become a beloved personality on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” —but not without the occasional misstep.
On Sunday night, O’Neal found himself on the wrong end of an awkward moment during the postgame show after Game 1 of the first-round playoff series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat.
The panel was celebrating Ty Jerome’s standout 28-point performance off the bench, placing him among the top four for most points in a playoff debut as a reserve — alongside Malik Monk, Ben Gordon and Billy Ray Bates.
As the crew reminisced about Bates, co-host Charles Barkley praised the former Portland Trail Blazer, calling him “built like a truck” before asking, “Is he still alive?”
The question was met with a moment of silence and awkward laughter, until O’Neal confidently responded, “He passed away.”
However, that statement was incorrect. A fan quickly took to X to fact-check O’Neal.
“Billy Ray Bates is definitely still alive,” the fan wrote.
The 68-year-old is indeed still alive, per his Basketball Reference page. This moment has been trending on social media, sparking jokes online and some light criticism of O’Neal.
Bates played four seasons in the NBA, with his final games coming with the Lakers. In the mid-1980s, he had a legendary run in the Philippine Basketball Association, where he averaged 46.2 points in 98 career games.
