There’s rarely any downside to having famous friends. Los Angeles Lakers great Shaquille O’Neal enjoyed the biggest perk of being a sports icon’s friend. It all started when a chance incident made Shaq fast friends with soccer legend, David Beckham. Big Diesel showed quick thinking when he used Beckham’s fame in the UK to get himself out of trouble. The basketball and soccer titans have collaborated in businesses and spent time with each other’s families. They’re superstar friendship goals. And it makes Shaq sentimental about how it started.

While promoting his fundraiser, The Event, in Las Vegas, Shaquille O’Neal took a moment to talk about his good friend, David Beckham, and his family. The former soccer star and his family have been part of the star-studded Big Diesel inner circle for years.

Shaquille O’Neal details the origin of friendship with David Beckham

At this time, the world is gripped by the Netflix documentary, Beckham on David and Victoria Beckham. The documentary explores the era when Beckham was one of the highest-earning athletes in the world. Shaq was also one of the highest-paid NBA players in his prime. But he aspired to be at Beckham’s level.

“When I first came into the game, I was making a lot of money and I wanted to take pride in being the highest-paid professional athlete, and I picked up an article one day and it was David Beckham, number one,” Shaq told The Mirror after praising the docuseries. He added, “I was like, who is him? So I found him.”

Shaq would go back to a story he has revealed before to say what a gracious friend Beckham is. “He is a great guy. We became great friends. We lost his wallet one time I found it called, it returned to him.”

The former Los Angeles Galaxy star was dethroned from the highest-paid athlete status but his net worth is estimated at $450 million. That’s $50 million more than what the Los Angeles Lakers star reportedly has in the bank. He hasn’t surpassed Beckham, but he’s past the envy.

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In fact, he once used David Beckham’s global reach to his advantage. And he knighted himself as the American version of the Manchester United legend.

David Beckham’s name saved the Big Aristotle

David Beckham’s pop icon wife, Victoria Beckham, shared a couch with Shaq on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2018 when he recalled holding Beckham’s wallet hostage in exchange for friendship. That’s when O’Neal disclosed the incident he used her husband’s name. It happened when Shaq was detained in London for unintentionally touching the famous Queen’s Guard. 

He resorted to name-dropping to save himself. “David Beckham is your guy over here. I’m the black David Beckham in the States.” Shaq may not have more money than Beckham but he has an entire foot and an inch over the 6-foot-tall Beckham. So that comparison got some laughs and he rolled with it. “Tell Prince Charles that the black David Beckham, Shaquille O’Neal is sorry, he apologizes, and it will never happen again.”

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The Beckham effect worked. Shaq got out of trouble and he’s still friends with the soccer icon. What do you think about their friendship?