While Louisiana is thawing out of that cold snap, their giant hero is warming up Missouri. Between deejaying in Atlanta, organizing his Big Game Weekend festivities and his TNT gig, Shaquille O’Neal made a quick trip to Jefferson City. It comes few days after Louisiana honored the LSU great with a declaration larger than life like the big man himself. It may have been a Louisiana official hilariously roasting him that made Shaq head to Missouri to shake some hands.

Jefferson City’s local news stations reported Shaquille O’Neal was at the Truman Building, i.e., the Missouri state office on January 24. He had lunch at the Governor’s Mansion and made it a great day for a lot of people in the State Capitol.

O’Neal interacted with several fans and took pictures in front of the famous Thomas Hart Benton murals in the House of Representatives Lounge. He made sure to pick on one sassy kid too who returned the favor with a mean, “I’m watching you.”

The purpose of his visit was more than social. The Missouri Department of Social Services is collaborating with a new income service called SteadyIQ to streamline its income verification process. SteadyIQ was co-founded by Shaquille O’Neal, the NBA legend who’s learned from his financial mistakes in his early career. The income verification process is needed to access benefits, which became an issue with non-traditional gig workers. SteadyIQ is able to bundle up individual incomes from payment services like Venmo to verify income.

According to the department staffers, this was an unplanned surprise visit. Jefferson City locals loved sharing their Shaq sightings on Friday with little reports of their interactions with him. It’s for obvious reasons like this the big man’s other home gave him a special honor.

Shaq’s royal duties take him everywhere

New Jersey-born, Texas resident Shaquille O’Neal splits his time between Atlanta and Las Vegas. But more often, the Bayou State comes calling. Baton Rouge is the starting point for the Dunkman who dominated at LSU before getting picked first overall in the 1992 NBA draft. O’Neal goes back to cheer for the Tigers and next month, he’s hosting Shaq’s Fun House, his pre-Super Bowl party in New Orleans.

He’ll be back the following month because royal duties await. Louisiana has named him the Bacchus monarch for the 2025 Mardi Gras parade in NOLA. If all goes as planned, the ginormous king will grace his subjects on an equally giant throne.

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser doesn’t want to be anywhere near the Bacchus on March 2 though. “Well, I hope I’m not riding on the same float with him because I’m short as it is, and I would really look short if I got a ride next to Shaq.” It’s a dilemma more than a few have faced. So Shaq understands.

Shaq just led the Gainesville holiday parade as a Grand Marshall which makes him experienced. If Missouri needs a leader for any parades, they can always call the Big Aristotle. And hey, if Nungesser needs an extra hand in the state department, the Bacchus is a call away.