Shaquille O'Neal tears into Shannon Sharpe for criticizing awkward Nikola Jokic interview - days after NBA icon's cryptic reply to ex-wife worried fans

A furious Shaquille O'Neal has fired back at Shannon Sharpe after the former NFL star branded him 'envious' following his awkward interview with Nikola Jokic.

O'Neal sparked controversy earlier this week after telling Denver Nuggets center Jokic, who was recently crowned NBA MVP for the third time in four years, to his face live on TNT Sports that Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should have won the award instead.

Sharpe was one of many who criticized the basketball legend over his exchange with Jokic, even claiming he is jealous of the Serbian's latest achievement.

'Shaq should have five MVPs,' the media personality said on his Nightcap podcast. 'He sees a guy like Nikola Jokic that’s not as dominant as him, gets three (MVP awards) in four years, I think a part of Shaq is envious of that.'

After hearing his take on the interview, O'Neal has torn into Sharpe in a fiery, long-winded rant on Instagram, in which he hits out at the First Take analyst for 'trying to stay relevant by gossiping on your podcast' and being 'under' him.

Along with a photo of a Google search which states that Sharpe is ranked as the 51st best character in the NFL, the 52-year-old wrote: 'you took me sticking up [for Gilgeous-Alexander as] jealousy of joker. shows how smart you are and how you say anything to get clicks. so here’s some click bait for you. if you ain’t ranked in the top ten in your profession, then you can’t speak on Me.'

'Don’t forget i know what you did to get were you at. me jealous, sounds like you jealous. i kno you tryna stay relevant by gossiping on your podcast. we don’t believe you. you need more people and in case you forgot. 4 rings three finals Mvp top 50 and top 75. google me. and to b quite frank all this new success you got, you still under me. 

'[You] don’t kno my work ethic. but according [to you] i work less than you but im worth more than you. make it make sense. love you [too]. if you need help making money it’s better ways than gossiping. i’m [too] old for this s**t love always the most dominant big man ever who never took it serious. remember i don’t know you. and in the words of [Skip Bayless] im better than you.

'I have it, you don’t, not in my profession. and your goat debate, never wanted to be the goat i wanted to be who you should greet me as THE MOST DOMINANT EVER.'

He also added in another post: 'the daddy don't usually respond but I got time today.'

O'Neal then seemingly attempted to cool tensions with Sharpe by uploading a clip of the ex-tight end's podcast quotes and saying: 'wait til i get up from my nap and here my last response on this. this is so fun did we just become best friends @shannonsharpe84 #stepbrothers'.

Sharpe has already provided a response to that Instagram tirade, saying on the latest episode of his podcast: 'I have never professed that I was as great as Shaq. But what I will say... I got what I got because I worked my a** off. 

'Now Shaq has been the one to say it, that he didn't work as hard, he didn't train as hard, he didn't eat as well as he should have. Shaq is the one that anytime someone wins an MVP, he talks about how he should have been the MVP over Steve Nash. 

'Now, you guys have seen me speak glowingly. I've said Travis Kelce is a better tight end than I ever was, so was [Rob Gronkowski], so was Antonio Gates. I'm cool, I got no problem. 

'You know why I got no problem with giving people credit? Because I got everything out of my god-given ability.' 

Earlier this week the former LA Lakers center has sparked concern after appearing to respond to his ex-wife Shaunie Henderson in a cryptic message on Instagram.

O'Neal and Henderson divorced in 2011, after almost nine years of marriage and speaking earlier this week, she said he kept 'going missing' and that she is unsure if she ever truly loved him.

He appeared to address those comments with a post on Instagram on Thursday, saying in a post written in capital letters: 'I understand... I wouldn't have been in love with me either. Wishing you all the best... All Love, Shaq.'

He captioned the post: 'Trust me I get it.'

Fans were quick to offer him their support in the comments, with one saying: 'I wish she had never said that. Some stuff you just keep to yourself.'

Another wrote: 'This man doesn't put anything personal on the media so for this information to be publicly said hits home.' 

A different comment read: 'Shaq going through it now,' with a crying emoji.