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NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 14: Shaquille O’Neal attends the ESPN Gala: “30 For 30: This Magic Moment” Screening during the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival at SVA Theatre on April 14, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Pont/WireImage)

via Imago
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 14: Shaquille O’Neal attends the ESPN Gala: “30 For 30: This Magic Moment” Screening during the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival at SVA Theatre on April 14, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Pont/WireImage)
Shaquille O’Neal once tried to bring a gold samurai sword to an airplane given to him by a sumo wrestler. In fact, he also used to carry a massive full-sized NBA jam arcade with him on the airplane his entire rookie season playing for the Orlando Magic.
Shaq is one of the most successful players in the history of basketball. In fact, he has 4 NBA championship rings, 3 Finals MVPs, and one regular-season MVP. But his success is not limited to the court, it expands far beyond.
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Shaquille O’Neal tries to bring a samurai sword in an airplane
Shaquille O’Neal grew up poor in a single-mother household with multiple siblings. His mother, Lucille O’Neal, had to work very hard to make ends meet. Therefore, when Shaq began to earn exorbitant amounts of money after entering the league, he didn’t quite know what to do with it.
Soon, he started buying ridiculous things and spending money as he liked. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel in 2019, Shaq opened up about his expensive habits and the problems that arise from them. He admitted to buying a white tiger and naming him ‘Diesel’, which almost killed him. So he had to get rid of it.
Meanwhile, Shaq also tried to bring home a gold samurai sword from Japan that a sumo wrestler had gifted him while having dinner in Japan. But the customs officers didn’t allow him to carry it on the airplane.
Finally, after much entreaties, the officers agreed to send it to his address in Orlando. However, even though a ninja uniform and a mask gifted by the sumo wrestler arrived on time. The sword did not.
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Shaq brought a full-sized arcade on an airplane
O’Neal used to carry a massive full-sized NBA Jam arcade in the airplane in his rookie season playing for the Magic. He used to carry it on the airplane without causing much trouble.

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PHOENIX – FEBRUARY 12: Shaquille O’Neal #32 of the Eastern Conference All-Stars cracks a smile against the Western Conference All-Stars during the1995 NBA All-Star Game on February 12, 1995 at the America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
In a rapid-fire round at the end of the segment, Jimmy threw a bunch of questions at Shaq regarding his expenses to separate the factual from the mythical. Shaq clarified a bunch of rumors, including the fact that he eats dessert before a meal.
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Shaq came to the show to promote his new restaurant. The place has burgers named after both Kobe and Shaq. According to Shaq, the Kobe burger costs more, and it comes with more onion rings than the Shaq burger, hinting at Kobe’s five rings compared to his four.
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