Shaquille O’Neal was barely a 4-year-old kid growing up in New Jersey when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 in Tennessee. MLK’s influence extends far beyond his iconic speeches and civil rights activism, resonating deeply with sports stars as well. Carmelo Anthony, who also launched the ‘Equality’ range of products to celebrate MLK Day a few years ago, paid tributes to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “You Can Kill the Dreamer, But You Cannot Kill the Dream – Dr. King,” he wrote on his Instagram. But it was Shaquille O’Neal’s message that caught everyone’s attention.

Every so often, even the most well-known icons surprise us with unexpected facets of their lives. On this year’s MLK Day—a day of reflection, gratitude, and celebration of Dr. King’s enduring legacy—NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal found himself caught off guard by a little-known fact about the man behind the movement.

As the NBA continued its cherished tradition of honoring Dr. King with a slate of games and special tributes, Shaq discovered something he never knew: Martin Luther King Jr. had some serious basketball skills. Yes, the man who reshaped history with his words and actions apparently had moved on the court too! And it’s a revelation that left even the larger-than-life Shaq in awe.

“My favorite part of the day is kudos to the TNT research team. You guys give me new information that I never knew. He was a hell of a basketball player,” the ‘Big Diesel’ said in awe. “We all know he was a pivotal figure, especially when he came to the civil rights movement and had a major role in civil rights legislation. … But every year I learn something new about Dr. King. He was a great man, a family of great people and this is a special day.”

The 39th edition of the NBA on MLK Day has eight games on display, with TNT and Inside the NBA hosting a doubleheader with special pregame coverage. During that coverage, one could really feel the impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. over the years.

While this new piece of information might have shocked Shaq, there was someone who knew what MLK was capable of. Dr. King’s close confidant and former mayor of Atalanta, Andrew Young, shared one such instance.

“I know nobody wants to think of Martin Luther King as a gym rat. But I remember we played basketball down at Fort Stewart. We had a workshop down there and we were clowning around in the gym,” Young recalled during his appearance on NBA on TNT.

“He insisted on playing down under the basket. He was small, but he was so quick! And he could shoot with his both left or right and it shocked the daylights out of everybody because they never figured him as having those kind of basketball moves,” the former Ambassador to the UN further elaborated. 

No wonder that Shaquille O’Neal expressed his surprise when he learned more about Dr. King!

Apart from Shaquille O’Neal, more former players send in their tributes on MLK Day

The contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are felt in the everyday aspect of life. As usual, the 10x All-Star was not alone in celebrating one of the most prominent leaders. Magic Johnson, on X, wrote a long message to remind everyone about the importance of the same. “On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we are reminded of the powerful legacy Dr. King left behind, not just through his words but through his relentless pursuit of justice and equality for all… ”

His tweet ended with explaining why everybody should continue with the same purpose. “We all have a purpose and now more than ever it’s important that we come together across this country, show up for our neighbors, and use our individual gifts and talents to be the change we want to see in the world. #mlkday2025.”

So, not just Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson. But other prominent voices in the sporting world and otherwise are sharing the work on MLK Day 2025.