Kenny Smith roasts Shaq after his attempt to speak Slovenian to Luka Doncic

Shaquille O’Neal trying to speak Slovenian to Luka Doncic was not on our 2026 bingo card, but we’re here for it.

During the Jan. 25 show of Inside the NBA hosted by Shaq, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, and Charles Barkley, they had Doncic as a guest. Shaq attempted to speak Slovenian to Doncic, who’s from Slovenia. The four-time NBA champion’s attempt got a couple of laughs from his co-hosts.

Shaq tries to say something to Luka in Slovenian lol pic.twitter.com/cz01rPK4Ei

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 25, 2026

“Luka and Kenny’s chemistry is too good! That accent comment had me cracking up,” a fan commented on the moment on TikTok. “Moments like these make the NBA interviews so fun to watch.”

This is not the first time Shaq has attempted to speak Slovenian to Doncic. When he was playing for the Dallas Mavericks in 2021, Doncic did a post-game interview with Inside the NBA, and Shaq told the then-Mavs star “goodbye” in Slovenian.

@dallasmavs

Shaq trying to say “goodbye” to Luka, in Slovenian @nbaontnt #mffl #luka #shaq

♬ original sound – Dallas Mavericks

Doncic who got traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025 from the Mavericks had an emotional reaction following the Lakers winning four times in four tries. The Lakers won in a 116-110 victory over Dallas with Doncic scoring 33 points and having 11 assists. Doncic revealed how playing against them still makes him emotional.

“There’s still emotions, trust me,” the NBA’s scoring leader said following Saturday night’s game on Jan. 24. “But a little bit better, a little bit easier for me. It’s unbelievable. I’ve still got a lot of fans here, players, some other people. I’m happy to be back.”

The crowd was happy to see Doncic as they chanted M-V-P during the game as he was shooting free throws.

“The significance of this probably will be there for the rest of his career,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game. “This is where it started for him. It’s where he made his first Finals appearance. It’s where he was drafted. The significance for our team is there, and it’s certainly there for him.”

The Lakers will be on the road to play the Chicago Bulls tomorrow night at 8 p.m. EST.

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