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AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 15: Tiger Woods of the United States looks on after a shot on the second hole during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on November 15, 2020 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 15: Tiger Woods of the United States looks on after a shot on the second hole during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on November 15, 2020 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Tiger Woods got into a massive car crash on February 23, 2021. A year later, he has yet to recover from the injuries from the accident. The accident had caused the golf fans to worry about the golfer and the former NBA star Shaquille O’ Neal was among them.
“I saw the car first, and it was beaten up. Nobody was in there. Then I saw Tiger involved,” O’Neal said. He explained that he couldn’t read the article after finding the news was about the golfer.
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“Because, when I got the news about my friend, Kobe, just passed away, it was shocking,” he further added. “When I saw the picture of Tiger’s car, I was like, ‘please not this.'”
Shaq described his reaction to Woods’ accident during an interview with ET. The Big Shamrock concluded the conversation by wishing the golfer a fast recovery.
Shaquille O’Neal’s relationship with Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant passed away in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on January 20, 2021. The LA Lakers shooting guard died along with his daughter, Gianna, and seven others.
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018634.SP.1101.lakers.AR The Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O’Neal(left) and Kobe Bryant prior to game against Utah at the Staples Center on 11/1/00. (Photo by Anacleto Rapping/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Before he signed with Miami Heat, Shaq played in the Lakers with Kobe, and they helped the team win three straight seasons. Although they were considered NBA’s dynamic duo, the two did clash sometimes.
Read More: Tiger Woods vs. Shaquille O’Neal 2022 Net Worth Comparison: Who is Richer?
Notably, the two reconciled with each other over the years. Shaq said in an interview after Kobe’s death, “Kobe and I, we were respectable friends. A lot of people think you have to be best friends to win championships. You don’t,” he added. “You just have to have the ultimate respect, and we definitely had that.”
Tiger Woods after the accident.
The aftermath of the car accident was too much for Woods to handle. It made him bedridden for a period of time, after which he started walking with the help of a group of medical professionals.
Tiger Woods downplays his limping on the 18th hole and says he will start the process of getting ready for tomorrow’s round of the PGA Championship. pic.twitter.com/UxMB7G8MyP
— The Recount (@therecount) May 19, 2022
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The golfer made his comeback at the 2022 Masters with a limping leg and finished the tournament at 47 in the field. Following the event, he attended the PGA Championship. Although he made the cut, the golfer had to withdraw after experiencing health issues.
After almost two months, Woods is all teed up at the JP McManus Pro-Am that started on July 4. The event is currently progressing at the Adare Manor in Ireland.
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Kobe Bryant was the star player and still is for many NBA fans out there. However, the legend lost his life to an accident. Shaq was dealing with losing a friend when he got the news about Woods’ accident. And even thinking about losing one more friend made him scared to death.
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