Frances Tiafoe, one of the ATP Tour’s most passionate basketball enthusiasts, continues to blend his love for the hardwood with life on the tennis court. Known for repping NBA jerseys at tournaments and rubbing shoulders with basketball royalty, the 18th seed’s crossover fandom is well-documented. For example, back in February, he resonated deeply with Kevin Durant’s emotional moment in Netflix’s ‘Court of Gold,’ sharing “Felt this” on IG as the NBA star tearfully opened up about his tough upbringing. But the crossover didn’t stop there. In a recent hilarious moment, Tiafoe took playful aim at Shaquille O’Neal while choosing who he’d team up with from the Inside the NBA crew. Wondering why he roasts the NBA legend?
Big Foe’s love for the NBA and the players who light up the league is no secret to fans in both worlds. Back in 2023, the tennis star told People Magazine that he’s a massive NBA follower, calling his experience playing in the league’s “All-Star Celebrity Game” nothing short of life-changing. He also revealed just how deep his passion runs, saying, “Since these last three or four years, I don’t miss a Wizards game when I’m home.”
Even a couple of months ago, that passion was front and center when Tiafoe reacted to what he called the craziest trade in the history of basketball. The American star was floored when he learned about Luka Doncic being traded to the LA Lakers to join LeBron James. The moment was especially fitting, as he was in Dallas at the time for the Dallas Open!
Now in Italy for his clay-court campaign, the 27-year-old still found time to humorously roast Shaquille O’Neal as he chose his surprise doubles partner in court. In a recently aired episode of ‘NBA on TNT,’ the hosts showcased a fun media segment featuring tennis stars at the Italian Open, where they were asked which member of the Inside the NBA crew they’d want as their doubles partner.
Among the clips, Frances Tiafoe made a standout appearance, bringing his signature humor. In the video, Big Foe started with, “If I had to pick my double partner between Shaq, Ernie, Kenny the Jet, or Charles Barkley,” before delivering a hilarious punchline: “I’m not going with Shaq.” He explained his choice in classic Tiafoe fashion, saying, “Racket’s going to be too small. He’s going to be terrible.”
Tiafoe then made his final pick, adding, “I’m going with Kenny the Jet man. I don’t know why, but I feel like out of all of them, he could be somewhat decent. Sorry, Ernie.” With a warm smile and genuine admiration, the American wrapped up the video with a heartfelt tribute to the legendary panel: “You guys are living legends, man, and keep doing your thing. Nothing but love and blessings.”
Even just days ago, the Inside the NBA crew found themselves hilariously lost in tennis terminology during a promotional segment for the upcoming Roland Garros. The clip featured a voiceover promoting TNT and Max’s new coverage of the clay-court Slam, but things took a comedic turn when Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley reacted with confusion.
Barkley blurted, “It’s just that from the French Open to Roland Garros, the most stupid thing I’ve ever heard,” clearly baffled by the tournament’s original name. Amid the laughs, the 27-year-old American, who’s currently in Europe for the clay season, remains firmly in touch with his basketball roots. Jet lag or not, Big Foe recently shared that he’s still keeping up with the NBA playoffs whenever he can.
“I can wake up at 3 a.m.,” Frances Tiafoe shares his desire to watch the NBA game even when playing in Europe
Frances Tiafoe is beginning to find his rhythm on red clay after a rocky start to 2025. The current 16th seed struggled during the Australian and North American hard-court swing, failing to win back-to-back matches. Just a week later, he delivered on that mindset, storming into the final in Houston for the 3rd time in his career.
Now competing in Rome, Tiafoe aims to carry his momentum deeper into the clay season. His campaign has already shown promise, having made his Monte Carlo debut and advancing to the R16 in Madrid for the 1st time.
However, for Tiafoe, though, May isn’t just about tennis; it also means the NBA Playoffs season. Even though his beloved Washington Wizards missed out this year, the Maryland native remains glued to the action. Speaking to Stephanie Livaudais, he shared, “It’s funny, I go to Europe every year and that’s usually around when the NBA Playoffs is on.0”
He later added, “So for me, I struggle with jet lag to get on the proper time, but at the same time it’s like… I can wake up at 3 a.m., and I don’t mind it because I can just put the game on. In my mind, I’m just like, Oh well, I can watch hoops for five hours! But then I can’t see at two o’clock.” This week, however, replays might be his best bet. Seeded 15th in Italy, Tiafoe faces Sebastian Ofner in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. How far do you think the NBA fan can go on the Italian red soil this time?
The post “Gonna Be Terrible”- Frances Tiafoe Playfully Roasts Shaquille O’Neal Before Siding With an Unlikely Doubles Pick appeared first on EssentiallySports.