Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley have always shared a special bond as great friends, and their lighthearted banter never fails to entertain their fans. As the world welcomed the year 2024, O'Neal playfully joked about how he would treat Barkley in the new year, making everyone laugh.

But it seems like the power slap match that they hilariously agreed to in December won't be happening. This doesn't come as a surprise because these two have loved and supported each other for the longest time, and hopefully, that will never change.

The chemistry between O'Neal and Barkley is unmatched, and it's one of the reasons why Inside the NBA has been a massive success.

While they've had their fair share of tense moments on television, it never affected their relationship in any way.

In fact, they often share wholesome moments together. In a clip from the Shaq docuseries released in 2022, O'Neal opened up about his regrets over cheating on his wife. This led to a sentimental moment between him and Barkley, with Barkley praising O'Neal's genuine and fun-loving nature. It was a heartwarming display of friendship.

In a surprising turn of events, it was revealed that Barkley and O'Neal's mothers actually helped them become friends.

Following an infamous fight between them on the court in 1999, Barkley's mother and O'Neal's mother, who were best friends, intervened to repair their friendship. Their mothers' intervention was unexpected but effective, and now Barkley and O'Neal have the same kind of strong bond that their mothers share.