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Shaquille O’Neal is out of line.

So is JaVale McGee for how he has retaliated, though his misstep is understandable given the context.

But Shaq has been out of line for reasons that date back decades. His persistent mocking of McGee is especially offensive now considering the flashing lights and ringing alarms evident in McGee’s retorts. Related Articles Shaq cursed? Lil B warns O’Neal over feud with McGee

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McGee wouldn’t say another Black man is “cooning” unless he is deeply hurt. That is calling him an Uncle Tom, and that is one of the most offensive labels McGee can affix to Shaq. That is taboo in Black culture, which illustrates just how injurious Shaq’s years of ridicule have been.

This Twitter war between McGee and Shaq, which began Thursday night after another skit on TNT’s Inside the NBA highlighted McGee’s slapstick mistakes, is a painful display to nearly anyone who takes Black History seriously. And O’Neal is in violation because, although he is funny and it sounds like joking, he is partaking in an American practice that has created a sensitive spot for African-American men.

For years now, O’Neal has indicted the intelligence of McGee. Perhaps it was unwittingly at first. Now, it’s intentional. Bloopers are funny. Mistakes are universal. But O’Neal has been relentless in his mockery of McGee, almost exclusively for his perceived lack of basketball IQ. He has turned a grown man into a caricature. He has aided in the undermining of a Black man’s capacity.

“I can tell you I had a preconceived notion of JaVale before he got here,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, “that turned out to be totally false. And lot of that was from what goes on with Shaq’s ‘Shaqtin’ A Fool’ thing.”

For many Black men who have fought long and hard for validation as intellectual equals, what O’Neal is doing is not cool. For those who have had to go to great lengths to disprove stereotypes and shun perceptions, what O’Neal is doing is dangerous behavior.

He is not making fun of McGee for being bad at basketball. He is ridiculing McGee for low basketball IQ.

Someone might respond with the fact that McGee has indeed had a significant number of brain farts on the court. That person would not be wrong.

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But this is the plight of Black athletes: low sports IQ translates to low IQ. In a society that doesn’t inherently credit intelligence to Black men, painting McGee as a dumb player is akin to simply labeling him as dumb. And that is a damning brand.

Even if we grant it that society has advanced to the point where it’s understood Blacks are just as intelligent, the history of this type of degradation has made this a sore spot. It’s a chip on the shoulder many of us carry. It is a sensitivity especially present in many reared in rough neighborhoods and broken schools yet had to prove themselves as equal to make it.

This is the byproduct of having to fight against centuries of indoctrination. This isn’t new, not even to sports.

Black football players weren’t allowed to be quarterbacks, or even middle linebackers, because the positions required high intelligence. Successful black point guards in basketball were such because of their impressive athleticism while their white counterparts were smart.

Being articulate is a gold star for Black athletes because it exceeds the expectations. The analytics boom in baseball and basketball has cut into the coaching and executive opportunities for Blacks, because when teams are looking for nerds they aren’t going to the inner city.

It is a constant challenge for African-Americans, to earn respect as intellectually sufficient, if not special. It is especially true for Black athletes, who draw acclaim for their physical prowess.

Shaq should know this. And if he didn’t realize how damaging his antics were, McGee’s sharp retorts should have tipped him off. Instead, he doubled down on Thursday night, participating in the tradition of demeaning a Black man’s intelligence.

McGee should have pulled Shaq aside privately, explained the damage that was being done. That’s better than hurling the “coon” indictment.

But McGee is angry. He is fed up. It is understandable. Shaqtin A Fool has been a thorn in his side for years. Perhaps he is being too sensitive, or not good at accepting criticism. But I understand him on this one. The perception of intelligence is a precious commodity because it becomes a person’s reality.

It isn’t as if Shaq also points out McGee’s strengths. Spend any time around McGee, it is clear he is a bright guy who is well read and has a huge heart. His teammates love him, and that is a badge of honor.

And McGee’s success — he is averaging 6.1 points on a career-best 67.3 percent shooting and is on pace to play more games this season than he had in the previous three seasons combined — clearly hasn’t stopped the shots from coming. That’s what angers McGee’s teammates the most.

McGee is working hard to resurrect his career, to prove himself as a quality and useful player. And Shaq, who had a hand in McGee’s transition from first-round pick in 2008 to training camp invite in 2016, won’t let him be long enough to enjoy this resurrection he’s had with the Warriors.

Calling another Black man a coon in public is harsh, too. Even those who might agree with McGee — that Shaq is appeasing the masses and gaining favor by attacking his cultural brother — might hold off on voicing such loaded labels. But it is understood McGee is practicing self-defense, trying to hurt Shaq like Shaq hurt him.

McGee took it too far, but this one’s mostly on Shaq. For he is the one who chose humor over history.