“Big Kid” Shaquille O’Neal, Who Suffered From a Rare Disease That Made Him Cry, Debuts in a Profession of 134,700 People for $156 Million Rich Brand

Not uncommon for a commercial to air between shows and feature Shaquille O’Neal. After all, the big man is everywhere. But his latest commercial foray takes it up a notch. The entertainer, rapper, DJ, retired NBA pro, current NBA analyst, and multi-faceted entrepreneur now has a new hat. And it’s all for a cause that’s close to him. As easy as he made it look, being big took its toll on young O’Neal. Now, he wants to help other kids through similar growing pains.

Shaq took on a new role to throw it back to his childhood. And a little dose of the Big Diesel humor only makes it better.

Shaquille O’Neal sits in the director’s chair

Sanofi’s ‘Icy Hot’ unveiled its new commercial with Shaquille O’Neal this month. The creativity, wit, humor, and concept have impressed social media since O’Neal shared it on his Instagram. “My mom always says I’m just a big kid. And with the launch of new @IcyHot Kids, now I actually am! Check out my directorial debut for this innovative, pediatrician-approved kids product,” Shaq captioned the post, confirming that he directed this innovative commercial.

Notably, the brand, valued at over $155 million, has a long-time relationship with the 4x NBA champion.

LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 14: TV personality/retired basketball player Shaquille O’Neal onstage at The Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber at Sony Pictures Studios on March 14, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. The Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber will air on March 30, 2015 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)But, yes, it was Shaq’s decision to become a bobblehead to show some quick-footed jump rope moves.

He revealed the pain-relief product designed especially for kids with the affirmation, “Take it from me, who definitely is a kid.” If you have a hard time believing the importance of it, the 51-year-old kid says, “Wow! This kid’s gonna be super sore tomorrow.”

As he mentioned, his mom, Lucille, drove his creativity. This 7’1″ “big kid” is now one of 134,700 professional directors in the country.

READ MORE: Determined to Bring Down 79 Percentile, Shaquille O’Neal Creatively Involves Friends to Fulfil Parents’ Ambitions

Picking ‘Icy Hot’ among all the brands he’s a part of to direct his first commercial is no coincidence either. His partnership with the healthcare brand goes back to his NBA playing days. Shaq was a three-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers when he signed up as the spokesperson for Icy Hot in 2003.

Given his longtime relationship with the company, he was on board to direct. The newly-minted filmmaker personally knows to not take a child’s pain lightly.

Shaquille O’Neal’s painful childhood

While Big Aristotle could use his size and agility to bulldoze his opponents on the court, it wasn’t rosy getting there.

As revealed in his HBO documentary, Shaq’s “bones were growing faster than muscles.” The literal growing pains made it painful for a young Shaq to run. There were times when he used to cry in pain during conditioning drills.

His high school coach witnessed his struggles years before he would get credited in Shaq’s Hall of Fame ceremony speech.

Shaq would not only utilize his physique on the court, but also go all out in the commercial business. His partnership with Sanofi’s Icy Hot has benefited multiple charitable initiatives towards youth. Directing a commercial specially for kids is one more way Shaquille O’Neal is helping out to his young fans.

What do you think about his directorial sense?

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