Watch: This clip of Shaq’s emergency bathroom sprint on live TV might just be ‘Inside the NBA’s’ funniest moment

It’s one thing to break down a basketball game, but on Monday night’s Inside the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal broke something else entirely, the broadcast flow, when he sprinted off set for an emergency bathroom break, live on air.

The moment, which instantly became TNT gold, happened during the postgame analysis of the Clippers-Nuggets playoff showdown. Without warning, Shaq rose from his chair mid-segment and casually announced, “Go ahead, keep talking, gents,” as he strolled off set.
“Uh… we’re on TV,” a confused Charles Barkley chimed in.
“I know what we’re doing, go ahead,” Shaq replied, unfazed.
Kenny Smith quickly cracked, “Yeah, that’s that olive oil you’ve been drinking.”
Shaq, mid-exit, simply responded, “I know.”
As O’Neal made his not-so-subtle dash off-camera, Barkley fired off one final jab: “Hey, take some matches with you!”
All Ernie Johnson could do was throw his hands up in laughter as the studio dissolved into chaos. The camera crew even obliged with a slow-motion replay of the moment, fully embracing the hilarity of it all.
A few moments later, a refreshed and relieved Shaq returned, chuckling. “Sorry about that, America,” he said, before blaming Barkley for delaying the commercial break: “You talk so damn much, man!”
The segment never quite recovered, with the crew still laughing and struggling to pivot back to serious playoff commentary. But fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
TNT’s Inside the NBA has long been known for its unscripted, chaotic brilliance and Shaq’s unscheduled sprint to the restroom is just the latest in a long line of viral moments that make the show must-see TV.