Despite his intimidating presence on the court, Shaquille O’Neal is a kind-hearted soul off it. Proving the same, one of his generous acts came to light recently, which accentuated his bond with a late teammate and friend. During his time with the LSU Tigers, Shaq made a couple of lifelong friends, who even used to drive him around college. To honor their impact on his career, the NBA legend showed his gratitude to them with a heartfelt gesture.

One of them sadly passed away over two months ago, which left Shaq heartbroken. Even though time has passed by, Shaq looked back at one of his memorable moments in life with his great friend.

Another act of kindness by Shaquille O’Neal

The 15x NBA All-Star was not the only star in LSU back in the day. Alongside Wayne Sims and Stanley Roberts, the three put on a show for years that earned the Tigers their recognition. Apart from being teammates, Sims and Roberts have played a huge role in his personal life as well. How close were Wayne Sims and Stanley Roberts to the Big Diesel?

During his LSU days, the two former veterans drove Shaq around the college in their car. This was enough for the 2000 MVP to show his gratitude. An Instagram post revealed the Lakers legend bought both of them brand-new trucks to show his gratitude to them. However, just after a short span of time, Wayne Sims sadly passed away.

Though it has been a few months since Sims’ departure, Shaq recalled this memorable moment with him. The 51-year-old shared the post on his Instagram stories. The 7’1″ big man was understandably left heartbroken upon learning of his friend’s death a couple of months ago. O’Neal was one of the first ones to call the deceased’s family, as revealed by his former LSU coach.

Shaquille O’Neal’s love for Wayne Sims

The sudden death of Sims broke Shaq into pieces. Former LSU head coach Dale Brown revealed that the Lakers legend was “broken up” after he got to know about Big Daddy’s death. Sims and Shaq were an unstoppable force back in 1990. 

Read more: 89 Days after $35,000 Slap on Luka Doncic, Shaquille O’Neal Digs Up “I Don’t Give a Fu*k” Warning to NBA on Live TV

The late LSU star averaged 22 points and 9.6 rebounds in his senior year alongside Shaq. Apart from driving Shaq around college, Sims also helped his friend win an SEC regular season championship for the Tigers in 1990. What are your thoughts on Shaq’s gratitude to his college teammates? Share it in the comments below!

Watch this story: “Dedicated husband Stephen Curry continues to show appreciation for wife Ayesha while reminiscing”