April Fools: Top 10 Phoenix Suns pranks in recent history

#1: Popovich Employs Hack-a-Shaq

Perpetrator: Robert Sarver
Victim: Ryan McDonough

Back in the late-2000s, the infamous hack-a-Shaq strategy emerged into the NBA spotlight. Gregg Popovich, in his basketball wizardly, successfully employed his strategy in the 2008 playoffs, sending Shaquille O’Neal to the free-throw line intentionally throughout Game-5.

Shaq finished the game going 9-20 from the stripe which helped lead to the Spurs winning the series. Afterward, Shaq was not pleased and called it a “coward” move.

In what I consider one of the best NBA pranks in history, Popovich doubled down on his strategy in a hilarious way. The very first game of the next season (2008-2009), the Suns played the Spurs. In the first five seconds of the game, Michael Finley intentionally fouled Shaq in a mock-hack-a-Shaq type of way.

When O’Neal looked over to the bench, there was Gregg Popovich with a super cheesy grin on his face and holding two thumbs up.

It makes me giggle just thinking about it, and Shaq couldn’t help but laugh himself.

When you can pull a prank that allows you to stand your ground on a controversial topic while also making the victim laugh, you deserve all the accolades coming to you. Hats off to the best, Gregg Popovich.

VIDEO: Full video of prank