Shaquille O’Neal had some blunt things to say about COVID-19 vaccine mandates when speaking with Entertainment Tonight’s Nischelle Turner on his podcast.

During their discussion, Turner and O'Neal wondered how just it was for companies to release employees who refused to get vaccinated, with the former Los Angeles Lake saying that the decision should not be forced to get it if they didn't want it, even though he still urged people “ to be safe and take care of [their] family.”

He argued that no one should have to decide between keeping their jobs and getting the vaccine. “It is forced. Because if the man don't take it, the man gonna get fired,” he added.

O’Neal's comments come after blasting Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving multiple times for refusing to get vaccinated.

“In this game of ours, sometimes you have to think about other people rather than yourself,” he said in September. ”Get his [expletive] up outta here. Whoever owns the Brooklyn Nets, get him outta here."

In January of this year, O'Neal further emphasized his comments against Kyrie, saying that "if he was on my team I’d have to put hands on him."

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