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Shaquille O’Neal attends the Hey, This is Shaq Basketball Tournament in Warsaw, Poland, on August 28, 2024. NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal visits Poland as part of a marketing campaign, promoting his personal brand SHAQ and the latest Reebok collection. (Photo by Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Getty
Shaquille O’Neal attends the Hey, This is Shaq Basketball Tournament in Warsaw, Poland, on August 28, 2024. NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal visits Poland as part of a marketing campaign, promoting his personal brand SHAQ and the latest Reebok collection. (Photo by Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Shaq hasn’t forgotten his roots. The Big Aristotle spent considerable time in different corners of the world and forged strong connections wherever he went. So, when the basketball legend retired from the NBA, he received several offers to play overseas. However, he chose not to. Now, as he traveled to Mexico for a new shoe deal, Shaquille O’Neal reflected on what made him turn down those offers.
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MIAMI, FLORIDA – MAY 21: Shaquille O’Neal looks on prior to a game between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on May 21, 2023 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)Shaq was 15 when his family moved to San Antonio, and he stayed there for two years before heading to college in Louisiana. O’Neal also shared fond memories of the local food. As part of the promotion, he donated 500 pairs of shoes to underprivileged children. He was thrilled to see how young kids recognized him. Despite growing up in the era of Stephen Curry and LeBron James, these children still follow and admire Shaquille O’Neal.
Why didn’t Shaquille O’Neal join an overseas team?
Speaking of the children, O’Neal said, “The fact that the kids still know what I’ve done amazes me, as there aren’t many great players still playing right now. But being here with all of them doing incredible things, making a difference by giving shoes to 500 kids who started crying when they saw me ”“ that’s special.” It’s awe-inspiring how the 4x NBA champion holds firmly to his roots. However, the Los Angeles Lakers legend previously rejected deals worth $10 million that could have seen him playing in foreign countries.
Right after his retirement, the 4x NBA champ was rumored to be joining teams like Fuerza Regia, among others. Yet, the news was never confirmed, and instead, we saw Shaquille O’Neal join TNT’s Inside the NBA. Years later, the NBA legend admitted to receiving those offers, though he no longer remembers the details of why he turned them down. “Yeah. Somebody asked me to go play there and I was going to come and I forget what exactly happened but yeah, that’s true,” Shaq admitted.
It’s likely because of his commitment to TNT, which he joined immediately after his retirement, or perhaps he simply wasn’t interested in moving overseas and leaving his family behind.
Written by
Edited by
Sanchari Bhaduri