Bagging $135,000 at his Party that Saw Drunk Hollywood Actress Go Out of Control, Shaquille O’Neal Reminded of a Wild Night

NBA legend and fan-favorite Shaquille O’Neal turned 51 on Monday. As a man who lives his life to the fullest, the Lakers legend is known for throwing big bashes on his birthdays. However, this time the former MVP celebrated his birthday by giving free ice cream cones to people who came to his fast-food joint- Big Chicken. Nevertheless, fans can’t seem to forget O’Neal’s iconic 33rd birthday bash back in 2005, which included some of the wildest stories to come out from an NBA star’s party.

Shaq’s birthday is not a big day just for the NBA fandom alone. Wishes come pouring in for the legend from every corner of the world. Even soccer legend David Beckham wished the NBA icon on his recent birthday. However, this is not the first time that other celebrities have joined O’Neal on his birthday. During the former MVP’s 33rd birthday party, bigshots ranging from Hollywood actresses to business tycoons gathered in Miami for the celebrations.

A wild night in Miami during the birthday celebrations of Shaquille O’Neal

The Big Aristotle had achieved superstardom by the time he was traded from the Lakers to the Miami Heat in 2004. The Heat were coming off a win over the Philadelphia 76ers just before O’Neal’s birthday celebrations. With a victory in hand, the big man walked into one of the wildest birthday parties of his life. Hollywood actress Tara Reid, and Donald Trump were some of the celebrities who joined the 4x NBA champion on his big day.

In an effort to gain popularity, the online poker site PokerStars.com had sponsored Shaq’s 33rd birthday party for $135,000. According to a write-up in Nolan Dalla’s blog, Tara Reid was one of the first celebrities to show up that night.

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The ‘American Pie’ star reached the spot with the help of some friends. “Reid was either so drunk or so stoned off her ass that she had to be helped up the ramp to walk. She was a hot mess,” wrote Nolan Dalla. Moreover, the birthday boy had also spent some time playing poker.

Adding color to the night

Shortly after Shaq turned 51, entertainment correspondent Brad Blanks took to Instagram with memories of the famous party. According to Blanks, that was one of the rare nights where all the Miami Heat players came together. “Dwayne Wade was a young guy and Pat Riley was chilling,” said Brad Blanks in his post.

When speaking of that night, Blanks still cannot contain his excitement. “That night shaq gave me his last cigar that his then-wife lighted for me. Wild night,” he said.

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The wild night in Miami is one of the many exciting excerpts from the life of Shaquille O’Neal. Given the gala the night was, it was a story worth reminiscing about and celebrating.