The NBA moved to the UAE this October, to host the 2022 NBA Abu Dhabi Games. With a plethora of activities at the NBA district, it was a huge affair. The event had celebrities and former NBA superstars gracing the stage. And the beloved Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal traveled to the Middle East, as a the league’s ambassador. On his maiden trip to the UAE, the four-time NBA Champion had a great time.

O’Neal took a break from all the activities and sightseeing to meet Dmitry Bivol, the WBA light heavyweight champion who was training for his next fight at the Etihad Arena. The Lakers no. 34, who is a car collector himself was awestruck by the car collection of the light heavyweight champion.

Shaquille O’Neal on Bivol’s Car collection

The four-time NBA Champion had the time of his life in the Emirates. His popularity and lovable nature are famous worldwide, due to which the Lakers star saw happy faces everywhere he went. He also considered buying property in the city, if ever he planned to move there. 

READ MORE: Shaquille O’Neal reveals how once he lost a lot of money due to greed.

Amid all the activities, O’Neal took some time off to meet a friend, Dmitry Bivol. And was amazed by the car collection that the light heavyweight champion had. 

“I went to my friend’s house yesterday – he has the best car collection I’ve ever seen. I just want to see everything and everywhere,” The 15-time All-Star remarked. O’Neal is known to love collecting cars as well.

The Lakers legend once splashed hundreds of thousands in cars on a single day, just after locking in his first professional NBA contract. Safe to say, if someone knows their cars, it is Shaquille O’Neal.

O’Neal has a collection of 30 cars, which are as rare as they come. As a result, when Shaquille O’Neal thinks someone’s car collection is the best in the world. It probably is.

O’Neal in Abu Dhabi

Shaquille O’Neal considers Abu Dhabi to be a place to settle in the future. The seven-foot-tall basketball legend mentioned how the city was beautiful and he was “looking at real estate” in the city. As it turns out, the Big Diesel seemed to be impressed by the culture and people in the country.

Watch this story: Shaquille O’Neal once spent $1 Million to get back at a Bentley Salesman

The Lakers no. 34 went Quad Biking in the desert. O’Neal wouldn’t miss out on any thrill that he could get out of Abu Dhabi, so this is not a surprise.

What do you think of the NBA event in Abu Dhabi? Do you like NBA branching out to different countries? Let us know in the comments below.