NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal just can’t seem to get out of the public eye. While he has been in the news for his latest stint as DJ Diesel, his activities on social media continue to pique the interest of fans. This time he shared something that could make spectators stand in awe but also as a warning. A spectacular move in gymnastics was banned due to its dangerous nature years ago. Despite that, the only documented video of it has gone viral on the internet. And it’s caught the eye of the 4x NBA champion.

If there’s one thing the Los Angeles Lakers legend will surely do once a day minimum is to let his social media followers know that he chanced upon an interesting video. Sometimes he shares posts that are funny, informative, inspiring, or even cautionary.

Shaquille O’Neal in awe of Olga Korbut

Shaquille O’Neal has a strong appreciation for other athletes and other sports. And this time he’s not fawning over Stephen Curry. The one who impressed him is Olga Korbut. Dubbed several titles like the ‘Sparrow from Minsk‘ or the ‘Darling of Munich,’ Olga Korbut is a famed Belarussian gymnast. She’s won four gold medals and two silver medals at the Olympics during her career in the ’70s.

Decades later, the internet was talking about her for one of her showstopper moves. Korbut is the only gymnast to have a documented execution of the ‘Dead Loop,’ a move that’s banned in professional gymnastics. Her performance at the 1972 Olympics is a viral topic even today and was on Shaq’s feed.

In the 1972 Olympics, when she won gold medals, Olga Korbut did a flawless execution of the ‘Dead Loop.’ This is the only recorded performance of this move in existence. That name is no exaggeration. Korbut stands on a high bar and does a perfect backflip to grip the bar again. Her grace and finesse amplify this backflip. She scored a near-perfect 9.8/10.

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She did the Dead Loop only once in public. It was banned from official gymnastics as it could be very dangerous to the gymnast to get that 10. A slight misstep could result in career-ending injuries to the head, neck, or spinal regions if not worse consequences. O’Neal shared the clip with his 31.9 million followers on Instagram Stories. He didn’t make any additions to it or give more context.

Fans claim it must be an honor to have a move banned “because of you“

Nonetheless, those of his followers who haven’t seen Korbut’s artistry had their jaws on the floor. Some looked inspired to try gymnastics or encourage a loved one to take it up. “This is so unbelievable to watch. I remember what a phenom she was,”?one fan claimed. Another user wrote,?“Honestly the highest honor is to have a rule/ban because of you.”

“A ten score must be her dying and her ghost finishing the routine. Cuz that was perfection,”?and “Amazing gymnast. she should have won, but actually she did? great performance & she set the bar high for the rest & that a gold to me. Let me say BRAVO,”?were some of the common reactions to the post.

Another fan credited Olga and Nadia Comaneci for getting them into gymnastics. “Olga, & Nadia got me swinging on my backyard swing set in the 70?s I became a gymnast because of these daring women. So perfect I will always remember them. This routine is the best ever!”

Whatever Shaq’s intention behind sharing this clip, it surely isn’t to encourage anyone, especially amateurs, from trying this move that could have fatal consequences.

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