Halle Berry’s radiance is undeniably healing but it was a whole other level for Shaquille O’Neal. It’s well known in Shaq-lore that he’s had a crush on the former Bond Girl long before he was an NBA star. While he was on Dr Oz, he proclaimed she cured his stutter. He even proved it with a declaration of love.

O’Neal admitted to Dr Oz that he suffered from insecurity because of his speech impediment and didn’t go through speech therapy. He didn’t need to when Catwoman was there to put speech therapists out of business. “You know how I got rid of my stutter? I saw a picture of Halle Berry one day… it just stopped.”

The incident he’s describing happened when Shaq was the nationally ranked prospect at LSU. He received a letter from the Hollywood star then and he was healed. It spurred him to give her a shoutout on the show, “Halle Berry, I love you.”

After watching her in a movie, college student Shaq wrote her a letter. It must be the appeal of the future no.1 NBA draft pick because she wrote to him back. “And I read the letter to myself and I was like, I don’t stutter anymore.” 

As miraculous as that story seemed to both Doctor Oz and everyone, Shaq didn’t know Halle Berry giveth but Halle Berry also taketh away.

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Shaq’s stutter returned because of Halle Berry

What Shaq didn’t tell Doctor Oz is that he had a chance meeting with Halle Berry early in his career. They were both at the same hotel due to a game and Berry on a movie press tour. A picture and letter cured his stutter but being face-to-face with the superstar brought it back.

“Four seasons, L.A. on Donhey, I guess they’re doing a press jacket. So, I’m in the elevator by myself and doors open up and it’s Halle Berry!” Shaq narrated in a previous interview. “This is my shot but my stuttering kicked in.” Halle Berry greeted him and left. But Big Diesel couldn’t utter a single word to his longtime crush.

He still rues the missed opportunity. We don’t know if he ever got the chance again. But her impact continues to keep Shaq stutter-free. What was your reaction to this piece of Shaq-lore?

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