Shaquille O’Neal turned Larry David’s courtside appearance at the NBA Finals into a perfect television callback.
David was among the famous faces at Madison Square Garden for the Knicks’ Game 4 win over the Spurs, and ABC’s broadcast could not resist cutting to him.
That gave Shaq a chance to revive one of the most memorable sports cameos in sitcom history.
Shaquille O’Neal brings back his Larry David grudge
When David appeared on screen, O’Neal on ESPN delivered the line with the timing of someone who knew exactly what fans would remember.
“I don’t like him. He tripped me.”
The joke was aimed at Curb Your Enthusiasm, where David’s character once caused disaster during a fictional Lakers game by stretching his legs near the court.
In the episode, Shaq trips over Larry, falls to the floor, and is carried out on a stretcher, sending the crowd into fury and turning Larry into the most hated man in Los Angeles basketball.
Shaquille O’Neal’s Curb moment still lives on
The episode, titled “Shaq,” first aired on HBO in November 2001, making the callback nearly 25 years old.
Its plot is pure Curb. Larry attends the game with Richard Lewis, accidentally injures Shaq, loses public approval, ruins Jeff’s Lakers tickets, and somehow discovers that being hated helps him avoid social obligations.
O’Neal’s cameo worked because he played the injury straight, selling the absurdity as if a courtside stretch had genuinely derailed a Lakers season.
That is why the reference still landed in 2026. Instead of making a flat comment about the stars in the house, O’Neal referenced an iconic moment that Curb fans still remember despite the show now being off the air.
Knicks’ celebrity row exploded over Games 3 and 4
David’s presence also fit the scene. He has long been tied to NBA courtside culture and showed his Knicks nerves during Game 4, including his viral reaction to Josh Hart’s missed late layup.
He was hardly alone. The Knicks’ Finals run has turned MSG into the biggest celebrity room in sports, especially across Games 3 and 4.
Donald Trump, Zohran Mamdani, Spike Lee, and Ben Stiller were part of the Game 3 spotlight. Game 4 then brought Taylor Swift, Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Jimmy Fallon, Fat Joe, Mariska Hargitay, and David himself.
The Knicks made history with a 29-point comeback. Shaq made sure an old Curb punchline had another night on national television.
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