Shaquille O'Neal walks off set after Kenny Smith makes awkward Jay-Z comment on-air amid Diddy allegations

Shaquille O'Neal walked off the set of 'Inside the NBA' after a fellow pundit made an awkward comment about Jay-Z.

Jay-Z, 55, is alleged to have drugged and raped a 13-year-old girl at a party in 2000, along with Sean 'Diddy' Combs.

The accuser, who is anonymous, alleges that she was assaulted at a house party after that year's MTV Video Music Awards in New York.

In response to the allegations, the American rapper and record executive - real name Shawn Carter - said he had been the victim of a 'blackmail attempt'.

Jay-Z wrote: "My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a 'lawyer' named Tony Buzbee.

"What he calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle.

"No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!"

Combs also denied the allegations, calling them a 'shameless publicity stunt'.

Jay-Z was brought up on the latest edition of the 'Inside the NBA' show, where the panel were discussing a tweet posted by Stephen A. Smith.

The panel were joking about whether Stephen A could face one of the three pundits at basketball nowadays, with panellist and basketball icon Kenny Smith, stating: "You've got to work your way up to the champ."

He then began: "Do you think Jay-Z or, or, or...", quickly stopping himself from carrying on.

Fellow panellist Charles Barkley interrupted: "Probably not a good time right now."

O'Neal appeared to be holding in laughter and he swiftly got up and walked off the stage before hiding behind a wall. He was then joined by host Ernie Johnson, who was also struggling to contain himself.

Check the clip out below.

After finally composing himself, Smith then tried again to get his point across: "Do you think Kendrick Lamar... how about that? Do you think Kendrick Lamar goes around battling on the street?"