Shaq on NBA Finals, Joining ESPN, Kobe Stories, Being the Black Kelce & A Big Slick Recap | EP 142

17 snips

Jun 4, 2025

Join NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal as he shares his vibrant stories and insights. Discover why he considers himself the 'Black Kelce' if he had pursued football and his exciting plans to revive Reebok sneakers. Shaq reflects on the NBA Finals and the transition of Inside the NBA to ESPN, while also opening up about his legendary bond with Kobe Bryant. He reveals what he considers his greatest dunk, blending humor with heartfelt nostalgia in a lively discussion with the Kelce brothers.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Shaq's Football Past

Shaquille O'Neal shared he was a great high school football player before switching focus to basketball.
He played tight end and nose guard, using his football toughness on the basketball court.

INSIGHT

Shaq's Social Media Philosophy

Shaq embraces motivation over jealousy when seeing others' success.
He believes social media can be leveraged positively to inspire and entertain.

INSIGHT

NBA Getting Soft

Shaq criticizes the NBA for losing its physicality and the All-Star format being terrible.
He believes the league is getting soft and needs leaders to bring back aggression.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

92%ers welcome back another episode of New Heights, brought to you by our friends at Audible!

On today’s episode, Jason and Travis discuss getting outta the house at The Big Slick, why Jason raided Travis’ closet, the future of The Beer Bowl, and their thoughts on what they’ve seen so far at Eagles and Chiefs OTAs.

And we have an incredible conversation with NBA legend, The Diesel himself, Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq and the guys talk about everything from why he would be the “Black Kelce” if he stuck with football, how he’s bringing back Reebok sneakers, the small market NBA Finals, how he feels about Inside the NBA moving to ESPN, the truth about his relationship with Kobe, and what he considers his greatest dunk of all time.

For even more New Heights, check out our New Heights YouTube Membership! As a member, you'll get access to full episodes, bonus videos, badges, and other stuff that will make you stand out.

Check out Shaq’s new documentary series “Power Moves” available now on Netflix.

https://www.netflix.com/title/81757187

To submit your team for Beer Bowl III, post your video on your preferred social media platform, tag NewHeightShow (with 1 S), and use #BeerBowl

You can also listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Download the full podcast here:

Wondery: https://wondery.app.link/s9hHTgtXpMb

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-heights/id1643745036

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1y3SUbFMUSESC1N43tBleK?si=LsuQ4a5MRN6wGMcfVcuynw

Follow New Heights on Social Media for all the best moments from the show:

https://lnk.to/newheightshow

Check out all of our new merch at https://homage.com/newheights

Support the Show:

AUDIBLE: Sign up for a free 30-day trial at http://audible.com/newheights

AMERICAN EXPRESS: For full terms and to learn more, http://visitamericanexpress.com/withAmexS.

ACCELERATOR: Click the link below to get a case of the Kelce Brothers’ favorite energy drink!

https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/FB06B38E-F0C2-479F-9DA5-FD4A1C852B07?channel=NewHeights2025

ALL STATE: Checking first is smart. So, check https://Allstate.com first for a quote that could save you hundreds.

BOAR’S HEAD: Head to your local Boar’s Head deli to discover the craftsmanship behind every bite.

PERPLEXITY: Discover fast and reliable search with Perplexity today. https://pplx.ai/new-heights

DRAFT KINGS: Don’t miss out on all the action this week at DraftKings! Download

the DraftKings app today! Sign-up using dkng.co/newheights or through my promo code NEWHEIGHTS.

Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Help is available for problem gambling. Call (888) 789-7777 or visit ccpg.org (CT). 18+ in most eligible jurisdictions, but other age and eligibility restrictions may apply. Valid only in jurisdictions where DraftKings Pick6 operates. Pick6 not available everywhere, including, but not limited to NY, and CA-ONT (for up-to-date list of jurisdictions please visit pick6.draftkings.com/where-is-pick6- available). Void where prohibited. 1 per new Pick6 customer. $5+ first Pick Set to receive $50 issued as non-withdrawable Pick6 Credits that expire in 14 days (336 hours). Ends 5/4/25 at 11:59 PM ET. Terms: pick6.draftkings.com/promos Sponsored by DraftKings.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.