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

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

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, whom O'Neal was supposed to back up, missed much of that year with an injury, leading to O'Neal supplanting him.

The 15-time All-Star's lower body was running on fumes at that point, and he dealt with knee, calf, hip, and Achilles ailments. Boston traded Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder midseason, confident O'Neal could effectively play his minutes as the club's starting five. Boston had gone 19-3 in its games where O'Neal suited up for 20 or more minutes.

Boston would live to regret that decision.

The Achilles kept him out of 27 straight games near the close of the year. He returned for Boston's season finale, but strained his calf after just five minutes. O'Neal returned in a limited role during Boston's second-round playoff series against the mighty Miami Heat, playing a scant 12 minutes in two games.

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 attempted to escalate a conflict between guards Delonte West and Von Wafer. West had initiated the issue, going at Wafer while the later was icing his feet in a bucket.

“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."

O'Neal Stirred the Pot

"That man just wanted to compete, go home, and let the chips fall where they may," Perkins added of Wafer. "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.”

After the season, O'Neal announced his retirement at age 39, after 19 years in the league.

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