An incredible photo of NBA icons including Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley holding up Essendon jumpers has gone viral as legendary US broadcaster Ernie Johnson continues to show support for the club in a touching connection.

Johnson, host of popular television show NBA TNT, on Friday posted the image on his Instagram account that shows he, O’Neal, Barkley and Kenny Smith proudly showing off the guernseys with their names and numbers printed on the back.

Johnson first jumped on the Bombers bandwagon after seeing a photo of players embracing the ‘I love you’ sign after their Round 22 win over Gold Coast last year.

The gesture was inspired by Johnson’s heartfelt speech to The University of Alabama Football Club last August where the 65-year old, who’s endured several battles with cancer and adopted four of his six kids, spoke about the importance of having heart for others.

It focused on one of his children, Michael, who was born with a progressive form of muscular dystrophy that caused respiratory issues and tragically led to him passing away last October aged 33.

Unable to speak until he was eight years old, he used the ‘I love you’ sign to communicate with loved ones.

“I was just blown away when I saw the photo of the players making the ‘love you’ sign,” Johnson told SEN last year.

“Social media to me can sometimes be the worst thing in the world. Sometimes it’s a breeding ground for hate and for people to obliterate each other, but sometimes you look on there and find a picture of five Bombers making the ‘love you too’ sign and I’m just blown away. That’s brought this full circle for me.

“They’ve got a brand new fan who lives all the way in Braselton, Georgia, wherever the heck that is. I’m pulling for them this weekend. They’ll never know how much it meant to see that picture.”