March 6, 2000: It was Shaquille O’Neal’s 28th birthday, yet he stood at Staples Center along with his Lakers teammates in order to face the Clippers. He was already quite agitated as the Clippers hassled him over tickets for his family and friends and so, he went out and recorded a career-high 61 points, along with 23 rebounds. That evening, the Lakers dominated the Clippers, 123-103.

He may have retired a long time ago, but on his 53rd birthday this year, it was again a big event. His kids and friends made sure it was one to remember. Taahirah O’Neal, Shareef O’Neal, Shaqir O’Neal, and Me’Arah O’Neal each took to Instagram, flooding their father with love and heartfelt wishes.

Taahirah, Shaq’s eldest, went all out, dedicating her entire Instagram story to him. Meanwhile, Shaqir posted a nostalgic snap of himself as a child, sitting comfortably on his father’s lap. But the biggest surprise of the day came from an unexpected source. Well, you see, the birthday love didn’t stop at home. Over the past year, Shaq formed a special bond with Effortless Motors, a California startup. And on his big day, they took their appreciation to another level!

CEO Ahmad Abdelrahman FaceTimed Shaq with a surprise that left the big man speechless. “Today is March 6. Big Diesel’s birthday. One and only Shaq. He has been nothing but supportive to me and Effortless Motors all year. Today is the perfect day to repay Shaq. It’s your birthday. I got you a brand new 2025 Chevy Truck that imma hook up on the house, just for your birthday. So you are going to get a brand new truck, Shaq, from Effortless Motors, to you. Let’s give him a call and let him know the big news. Let’s see his reaction.”

While Ahmad didn’t spill the details to keep the surprise intact, it’s no secret that this is one expensive gift. The 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 starts at $37,645, but depending on the trim and options, it can go all the way up to $70,995. And Shaq’s reaction when he found out?

“Hold on, I’m about to cry,” Shaq said before hilariously pretending to tear up. Of course, he was joking, but the gratitude was real. “I love you guys. I appreciate it. Thanks, my guy,” he said.

But how did Shaq and Effortless Motors even become friends? Now, that’s a story worth telling.

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Instagram mishap to Shaquille O’Neal’s friend…

Of course, Shaquille O’Neal has always had a thing for cars, but his connection with Effortless Motors? That’s all thanks to LeBron James—though not in the way you’d expect. Earlier, O’Neal had the startup’s CEO, Ahmad Abdelrahman, on The Big Podcast, where they laughed about how their first encounter was pure chaos. It all started when one of Abdelrahman’s interns decided to get creative, posting a fake clip on their Instagram page.

The video showed a Bugatti being loaded onto a truck, supposedly for James. But here’s the problem—James had never bought that car from them. And when he saw the post, he wasn’t having it. Taking to Instagram, the Lakers star reshared the clip, blasting the dealers in all caps: “Stop the [cap]!! LIARS!! I don’t know y’all and I don’t even have that car. CLOUT CHASERS.” Safe to say, that plan backfired.

No one expected the post to actually reach James. “It’s a Bugatti, a high-ranked car, so we’re trying to show him some praise, you know? And we’re a small page, I didn’t think in a million years anybody would ever see that,” Abdelrahman admitted. But not only did James see it—so did Shaq.

And Shaq’s response? Classic. “My thing was, Bron is 6’9’’, 6’10’’, I know ‘cause he’s a friend of mine. If he can fit into this car, cause I thought it was his, if he can fit into this car and he don’t want it, I’mma call old boy up.”

And just like that, what started as an Instagram mishap turned into an unexpected friendship. But did you know that Effortless Motors—a company that specializes in custom vehicles for celebrities—worked with O’Neal for his carbon Cybertruck? Yes! They even turned a Mercedes Sprinter van into a private jet for the road for Shaq.