Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal returned to his alma mater over the weekend, delivering a colorful, energetic commencement address to Louisiana State University’s graduating class of 2026.
Speaking from the perspective of an elder statesman offering sage advice to the next generation, O’Neal — who dominated the collegiate ranks at LSU before embarking on one of the most physically imposing careers in NBA history — implored the &#8220;youngsters&#8221; to embrace resilience and integrity as they step into the world.
O&#8217;Neal, who famously earned his bachelor&#8217;s degree from LSU in 2000 after leaving early for the NBA, opened with his trademark humor, saying:
<blockquote>
I&#8217;m not going to be long because I know you guys are hungry, because I&#8217;m hungry as hell. I was tricked. I was bamboozled this morning. They told me to arrive at 7:30. And three hours later, I received something that had nothing in it. Last time I sat this long, I was sitting on the toilet after I had some bad chimichanga from TJ Ribs.
</blockquote>
Turning serious, he expressed immense pride in the graduates and laid out five core pillars for their future success: never stop learning, use failure as motivation, prioritize character over resumes, stay curious in a &#8220;weird world,&#8221; and celebrate milestones while continuously striving ahead.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a small percentage of people that accomplish things on the first try,&#8221; he declared. &#8220;Most of us regular people have to go again, again, again, and again. So again, before you succeed, you must first learn to fail. &#8230; Your character will take you further than your resume. Continue to be kind; continue to be humble. Continue to help those in need.&#8221;
In a classic lighter moment, he also urged graduates to buy his &#8220;Shaq-A-Licious&#8221; gummies at 7-Eleven.
The massive center’s perspective is backed by a resume legendary in American sports. Long before he was a four-time NBA champion, O&#8217;Neal entirely transformed the LSU basketball program under coach Dale Brown from 1989 to 1992. Over 90 collegiate games, the powerhouse center averaged an astonishing 21.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks per game, shooting 61% from the field. A two-time consensus First-Team All-American and two-time SEC Player of the Year, O&#8217;Neal set an NCAA Tournament record by blocking 11 shots in a single game against BYU in 1992.
After the Orlando Magic selected him as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft, Shaq won Rookie of the Year and famously shattered multiple backboard supports. O&#8217;Neal soon ascended to absolute league dominance.
He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 and eventually formed a legendary dynasty with Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson. O&#8217;Neal led the Lakers to a historic &#8220;three-peat&#8221; of NBA championships from 2000 to 2002, capturing Finals MVP honors in all three instances. His 1999–2000 campaign stands as one of the greatest individual seasons in sports history, missing out on a unanimous regular-season MVP by just a single vote.
O&#8217;Neal later secured a fourth championship ring with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in 2006 before concluding his 19-year journey with veteran stints in Phoenix, Cleveland, and Boston. He retired in 2011 with 28,596 points and 13,099 rebounds, earning a spot on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
Concluding his commencement address in Baton Rouge, the legendary big man led the arena in a roaring chant of &#8220;We did it,&#8221; reminding the graduates of their shared achievement. &#8220;I do not want you going home and saying I graduated with Shaq,&#8221; O’Neal told the crowd. &#8220;I want you to say Shaq graduated with me.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XpSEQXsjFRA?si=o6gWfZTPXk5Q_vnn" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

2026 Disney Upfront

Shaq Offers His Most Important Life Advice In Colorful Commencement Address

Commencement

Louisiana State University

Shaquille O'Neal

NBA legend <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shaq-tweets-out-photo-of-himself-in-hospital-bed-sparks-concern-on-social-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shaquille O&#8217;Neal</a> has revealed stunning weight loss, and made clear that he&#8217;s not done yet, after saying he was previously struggling with just going up the stairs.
The 51-year-old NBA analyst spoke to <a href="https://www.etonline.com/shaquille-oneal-on-his-55-pound-weight-loss-star-studded-foundation-gala-exclusive-210653" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entertainment Tonight</a> and shared that he has lost a total of 55 pounds, currently weighing in at 351 pounds &#8212; within striking distance of his 345-pound weight when the Lakers won an NBA championship in 2000.
&#8220;I was getting chubby and couldn&#8217;t even walk up the stairs,&#8221; Shaq said. &#8220;I didn&#8217;t like the way I looked in the mirror. I was like, &#8216;I&#8217;m gonna lose 20&#8217; and then I was trying to lose 20.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;ve got a five-pack now so I&#8217;ve got seven more packs to go because I want to take my shirt off on Instagram,&#8221; he added, jokingly.
O&#8217;Neal admitted that he&#8217;s set a &#8220;crazy goal&#8221; for himself and said he&#8217;d really like to get down to &#8220;between 315 and 330&#8221; where he has a &#8220;12-pack,&#8221; the outlet noted.
In March, Shaq spoke to <a href="https://people.com/shaquille-oneal-55-pound-weight-loss-7964704?utm_campaign=people&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=instagram&amp;utm_content=likeshop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People</a> magazine about his weight loss journey, revealing at the time that he&#8217;d lost 40 pounds after deciding to make a lifestyle choice, changing what he was eating and working out.
&#8220;I wish I would&#8217;ve paid more attention to it,&#8221; O&#8217;Neal said. &#8220;I was such a mental warrior that none of this stuff mattered to me. &#8230; I didn&#8217;t really take it seriously until I looked in the mirror six, seven years after I retired. I looked terrible. I had no definition and basically I was fat. I was really fat.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Shaquille O’Neal Reveals 55-Pound Weight Loss: ‘I Couldn’t Even Walk Up the Stairs’ <a href="https://t.co/9FtKJAYQhP">https://t.co/9FtKJAYQhP</a>
&mdash; People (@people) <a href="https://twitter.com/people/status/1697588148203626612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
At the time, Shaq said he was feeling &#8220;really good&#8221; and has &#8220;more energy&#8221; after dropping all that weight.
&#8220;I get to do stuff that I haven&#8217;t done,&#8221; O&#8217; Neal told the outlet. &#8220;And it helps you discipline yourself much more. I eat about four or five times a day, but four of those meals used to be junk meals.&#8221;
In December, the retired professional basketball star told <a href="https://www.etonline.com/shaquille-oneal-reveals-hes-lost-40-pounds-wants-to-lose-20-more-in-2023-exclusive-196284" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ET</a> that he was making his health a priority, &#8220;It&#8217;s all about eating right.&#8221;
&#8220;I didn&#8217;t know what the difference between a carb and a protein, at 50 years old I never knew,&#8221; he added. &#8220;So, he was saying you can&#8217;t do this, you can&#8217;t do that, more vegetables, my iron&#8217;s low. And once I just started changing those certain things, it dropped.&#8221;

Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal Reveals Massive Weight Loss And Says He’s Not Done Yet

Shaquille O’Neal Reveals Massive Weight Loss And Says He's Not Done Yet

Basketball

Celebrities

Entertainment

Sports

U.S.

Superstar and NBA legend Shaquille O&#8217;Neal said during an interview published Wednesday that many celebrities are &#8220;a**holes&#8221; and he did not like to describe himself as one.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/shaquille-oneal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">51-year-old</a> NBA commentator made it clear to <a href="https://people.com/sports/shaquille-oneal-denounced-himself-from-being-a-celebrity/?utm_campaign=peoplemagazine&amp;utm_content=new&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_term=6436d0d81e37ae00010c0e68" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People magazine</a> that he&#8217;s no celebrity, calling them &#8220;rude to people&#8221; and &#8220;obnoxious.&#8221;
&#8220;I denounced myself from being a celebrity thirty years ago because a lot of celebrities are a**holes,&#8221; the Basketball Hall of Famer said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Shaquille O&#39;Neal Says He &#39;Denounced&#39; Himself from &#39;Being a Celebrity&#39; 30 Years Ago (Exclusive) <a href="https://t.co/FaNiHtvaCt">https://t.co/FaNiHtvaCt</a>
&mdash; People (@people) <a href="https://twitter.com/people/status/1646176380068003841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I don&#8217;t want to be in that category,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I&#8217;d rather demote myself to being just a regular person before you call me a celebrity and put me in the category of those jerk-***s.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t like to work with celebrities because celebrities are crazy, so I just like to work with people,&#8221; O&#8217;Neal continued.
The sports analyst made similar comments in 2021 to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/09/24/shaq-is-retiring-from-celebrity-status-out-of-their-mind/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>, saying, &#8220;celebrities are going freaking crazy, and I don&#8217;t want to be one.&#8221;
&#8220;Celebrities are crazy, they really are,&#8221; Shaq said at the time. &#8220;Don&#8217;t call me that anymore. These people are out of their freaking mind with how they treat people, what they do, what they say. That&#8217;s never been me. I never want to be looked at like that.&#8221;
The former professional basketball player reportedly arrived at the Chelsea hotspot Jue Lan Club in New York City with an unidentified woman, whom he was overheard describing as &#8220;my date,&#8221; sources told <a href="https://pagesix.com/2022/06/14/shaquille-oneal-pays-for-fellow-diners-tab-on-nyc-date-night/?utm_source=P6Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;crl8_id=e5e600d6-d960-4a7e-b756-35766f09e26b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Page Six</a>.
After the two had dinner, Shaq reportedly showed off his generous side, paying for dinner for the entire service team at the restaurant.
&#8220;And to top that off, he paid for everyone&#8217;s check [who was] dining at the restaurant,&#8221; the source shared.
The outlet noted that O&#8217;Neal wanted to keep his treat to the 40 tables of patrons a secret until he had left the restaurant.
Sources said the bill amounted to &#8220;well over $25,000.&#8221; The source also told the outlet that Shaq was &#8220;extremely generous&#8221; to the staff. &#8220;He left them the biggest tip they&#8217;ve ever received,&#8221; the source added.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hilarious-viral-video-shows-nba-legend-being-launched-into-a-christmas-tree">Hilarious Viral Video Shows NBA Legend Being Launched Into A Christmas Tree</a>

Shaq-2

‘Celebrities Are A**holes’: Shaq Says He Denounced The Label Of Being A Star Years Ago

Superstar and NBA legend Shaquille O&#8217;Neal definitely got everyone&#8217;s attention on Sunday when he tweeted a photo of himself lying in a hospital bed.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/shaquille-oneal">51-year-old</a> NBA commentator didn’t explain much to his 15-million-plus followers what he was doing in a hospital room while hooked up to IVs.
He <a href="https://twitter.com/SHAQ/status/1637593805934284806?s=20">captioned his</a> post simply, &#8220;I&#8217;m always watching [TurnerSportsEJ] and [Candace_Parker ] miss y&#8217;all.&#8221; The post has since gone viral, with 8.3 million views and counting.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
i’m always watching <a href="https://twitter.com/TurnerSportsEJ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TurnerSportsEJ</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Candace_Parker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Candace_Parker</a> miss y’all <a href="https://t.co/4tY4X6v1Pj">pic.twitter.com/4tY4X6v1Pj</a>
&mdash; SHAQ (@SHAQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/SHAQ/status/1637593805934284806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Reading through the comments, fellow basketball players expressed their concern by tweeting messages like &#8220;[you] good &#8230;&#8221; and others asking &#8220;what the hell happened?&#8221;
Former professional basketball star Roy Hibbert tweeted, &#8220;[you] good, big man?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
U good big man?
&mdash; Roy Hibbert (@Roy_Meets_World) <a href="https://twitter.com/Roy_Meets_World/status/1637597293959344128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Former NBA player and current sports analyst for Turner Sports Steve Smith wrote, &#8220;Get Well Big Fella.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Get Well Big Fella,,
&mdash; Steve Smith (@steve21smith) <a href="https://twitter.com/steve21smith/status/1637650064507129856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;What the hell happen to Shaq?&#8221; one person wrote.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
what the hell happen to Shaq?
&mdash; JurgenVanDijk (@Justinrichsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/Justinrichsmith/status/1637593926281359362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Another added, &#8220;Seriously though, hope everything is ok.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Seriously though, hope everything is ok. <a href="https://t.co/cxSuIHpiGn">pic.twitter.com/cxSuIHpiGn</a>
&mdash; Billy Baroo (@billco13) <a href="https://twitter.com/billco13/status/1637594934050996225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Later, Awful Announcing&#8217;s Ken Fang shared that during the March Madness Tournament broadcast Shaq&#8217;s fellow analyst Ernie Johnson announced that the NBA legend was in the hospital having hip replacement surgery, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/shaq-sparks-concern-hospital-bed-photo">Fox News</a> reported.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
EJ said in the NCAA Tournament studio that Shaq is undergoing a hip replacement. <a href="https://t.co/2r4gTv4Jvz">https://t.co/2r4gTv4Jvz</a>
&mdash; Ken Fang &#8212; Very Asian (@fangsbites) <a href="https://twitter.com/fangsbites/status/1637672449880862722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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On Monday, <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/03/20/shaquille-oneal-on-the-mend-after-undergoing-hip-surgery/">TMZ</a> reported that sources told them that Shaq was in the hospital over the weekend to fix an issue with his hip and that everything had gone smoothly.
Last year, the NBA superstar talked about focusing on his health more and his efforts to slim down thanks to his &#8220;NBA on TNT&#8221; cohost, Charles Barkley, The <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/03/20/shaq-sparks-concern-with-hospital-photo/?utm_source=NYPTwitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;utm_campaign=SocialFlow">New York Post</a> noted.
&#8220;I like to create crazy motivation,&#8221; O&#8217;Neal said during an appearance on Logan Paul&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i39nHfUh2rQ">Impaulsive</a>&#8221; podcast. &#8220;I was looking at myself and I had that Charles Barkley retirement body.&#8221;
&#8220;I didn&#8217;t want my stomach to be over the belt anymore,&#8221; he added. &#8220;So I was just like, &#8216;Let me go ahead and get slim.&#8217; After that [picture] went viral, now I&#8217;ve got to live up to it.&#8221;
&#8220;I was 401 pounds. Now I&#8217;m 365,&#8221; Shaq continued. &#8220;I&#8217;m trying to take it back to 345. I want to have muscles everywhere, and I want to do an underwear ad with my sons [for] Fruit of the Loom, baby.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hilarious-viral-video-shows-nba-legend-being-launched-into-a-christmas-tree">Hilarious Viral Video Shows NBA Legend Being Launched Into A Christmas Tree</a>

Shaq Tweets Out Photo Of Himself In Hospital Bed, Sparks Concern On Social Media

Basketball legend <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/shaquille-oneal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shaquille O’Neal</a> insisted that he is skeptical of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/cryptocurrency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cryptocurrency</a> despite his recent endorsement of the now-collapsed digital asset empire run by <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/sam-bankman-fried" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Bankman-Fried</a>.
Cryptocurrency exchange FTX filed for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/30-year-old-billionaire-loses-entire-fortune-overnight-as-his-bahamas-based-cryptocurrency-empire-implodes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bankruptcy</a> last month after users learned that the company was intertwined with sister firm Alameda Research; both were controlled by Bankman-Fried and other amateur executives working from a luxury penthouse in the Bahamas. The entrepreneur was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-democrat-megadonor-sam-bankman-fried-arrested-in-bahamas-faces-criminal-charges-in-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> this week by authorities in the island nation, where his companies were headquartered, as American officials unsealed criminal charges against him.
Bankman-Fried spent millions of dollars recruiting celebrities as brand ambassadors in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/attorney-overseeing-ftx-bankruptcy-testifies-before-congress-grossly-inexperienced-people-ran-company-went-on-5-billion-spending-binge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">marketing blitz</a> as the company became increasingly strapped for cash. O’Neal was featured in an FTX <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSu76VUIkEg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">commercial</a> as recently as June. “I’m excited to be partnering with FTX to help make crypto accessible for everyone,” he said. “I’m all in. Are you?”
The four-time NBA champion distanced himself from FTX during an <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/15/shaq-on-crypto-ftx-post-collapse-i-was-just-a-paid-spokesperson.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with CNBC this week, claiming that he was not associated with the company beyond his appearance in the advertisement.
“A lot of people think I’m involved, but I was just a paid spokesperson for a commercial,” he remarked. “I have nothing to hide. If I was heavily involved, I would be at the forefront saying, ‘Hey.’ But I was just a paid spokesperson.”
O’Neal said in the commercial that he checked his FTX account daily. When asked by CNBC if he is presently bullish on cryptocurrency, he offered a one-word response: “No.”
Among the other <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/from-brady-to-shaq-here-are-the-celebrities-who-lost-big-on-the-ftx-implosion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cultural icons</a> FTX solicited to appear in advertisements were Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry, celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and his supermodel ex-wife Gisele Bündchen. The company reportedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sam-bankman-fried-was-a-fan-of-tay-tay-badly-wanted-her-to-sign-100-million-marketing-deal-with-ftx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offered</a> singer-songwriter Taylor Swift a sponsorship deal worth $100 million because Bankman-Fried was a diehard fan. Many of the influencers are now the subject of a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-brady-steph-curry-other-celebrities-sued-for-pushing-ponzi-scheme-ftx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> claiming they participated in a “fraudulent scheme” meant to fool unsophisticated investors.
O’Leary, who said he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-oleary-says-he-fell-victim-to-groupthink-lost-all-of-his-15-million-payout-as-ftx-ambassador">lost</a> the approximately $15 million in digital assets and equity he earned as a spokesperson of FTX, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-oleary-testifies-before-congress-after-endorsing-defunct-crypto-exchange-ftx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified</a> before the Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday about potential regulations on the nascent sector.
“The collapse of FTX is nothing new. While this situation is painful for shareholders, employees, and account holders, in the long run, it does not change this industry’s promise,” argued the entrepreneur, who holds investments in other cryptocurrency companies. “Enron came and went and had no impact on the energy markets. Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers’ demise had no impact on the long-term potential of American debt and equity markets.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission has officially charged Bankman-Fried with fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, securities fraud, securities fraud conspiracy, and money laundering. A complaint from the agency <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-charge-sam-bankman-fried-of-using-customer-funds-for-lavish-real-estate-and-large-political-donations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alleges</a> that he used commingled funds to make “undisclosed venture investments, lavish real estate purchases, and large political donations.” The disgraced entrepreneur, who has been denied bail due to the significant flight risk he poses, could <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/criminal-charges-against-democrat-megadonor-sam-bankman-fried-unsealed-faces-life-in-prison-denied-bail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spend</a> as much as 115 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

Collage Maker-15-Dec-2022-03.05-PM

Shaq On Endorsing FTX: ‘I Was Just A Paid Spokesperson’

Shaq Distances Himself From FTX

Cryptocurrency

Fraud

Sam Bankman-Fried

A hilarious video showing NBA legend Shaquille O&#8217;Neal being launched into a giant Christmas tree by one of the analysts on the set of &#8220;NBA on TNT&#8221; Tuesday night has gone viral.
During the <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1600306961785843712?s=20&amp;amp;t=Yvecn9UM4UGG9t326NhFRw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">popular show</a>, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/extremely-generous-shaq-reportedly-foots-25000-tab-for-entire-restaurant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">50-year-old</a> former professional basketball star was sitting at the desk with other analysts Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith when two of the men decided to race to the show&#8217;s big board — and that&#8217;s when things went awry, <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/12/06/kenny-smith-threw-shaquille-oneal-into-tree-on-nba-on-tnt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Page Six</a> reported.
As O&#8217;Neal and Smith were running for it, the analyst took a big shove against the former NBA star who was close to a giant decorated tree and launched his entire body into it.
&#8220;That was bad right there!&#8221; Barkley said as he watched the chaos unfold. &#8220;That was bad.&#8221;
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WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;The Big Christmas Tree&quot; 🎄🤣 <a href="https://twitter.com/SHAQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SHAQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/oy9zXNPojj">pic.twitter.com/oy9zXNPojj</a>
&mdash; NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1600306961785843712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Laughter from the set ensued before the NBA legend managed to climb out from under the tree. He then promised that he&#8217;d get back at Smith.
&#8220;Alright Kenny,&#8221; Shaq said after Barkley and Johnson pulled the 7-foot-1 Hall of Famer out. &#8220;Kenny, this means war.&#8221;
In a later clip, O&#8217;Neal spends some time brushing off all the tree needles before he threatens to dive into the tree again and break some more branches. Johnson then said he wouldn&#8217;t do it — but Shaq proved him wrong and dove right in.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Shaq: “Say I won’t dive into that tree right now” Ernie: “You won’t dive into that tree right now” Shaq: <a href="https://t.co/Rf9fQftk6Y">pic.twitter.com/Rf9fQftk6Y</a>
&mdash; NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1600326350979547136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The official Twitter account for the popular basketball show later tweeted, &#8220;Christmas trees are never safe around [Shaq],&#8221; as they included a clip from the TNT show on Tuesday up against another show from 2014 showing a similar scene with the former NBA player landing on the ground under a different decorated Christmas tree.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Christmas trees are never safe around <a href="https://twitter.com/SHAQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SHAQ</a> 😭🎄 <a href="https://t.co/uCq59OArpv">pic.twitter.com/uCq59OArpv</a>
&mdash; NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1600541933314576386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“NBA on TNT&#8221; then posted a hilarious tweet comparing the NBA Hall of Fame player lying under the tree with just his feet sticking out to that of the Wicked Witch of the West under the house in the classic &#8220;Wizard of Oz.&#8221;
The tweet read simply, &#8220;Same Energy,&#8221; and it included a laughing, crying face emoji.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Same energy 😂 <a href="https://t.co/SsgJ7fukY1">pic.twitter.com/SsgJ7fukY1</a>
&mdash; NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1600554904250068992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/extremely-generous-shaq-reportedly-foots-25000-tab-for-entire-restaurant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8216;Extremely Generous&#8217;: Shaq Reportedly Foots $25,000 Tab For Entire Restaurant</a>

Hilarious Viral Video Shows NBA Legend Being Launched Into A Christmas Tree

Hilarious Viral Video Shows Shaq Being Launched Into A Christmas Tree

Christmas

A class-action <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/lawsuit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> blamed several celebrities for exposing members of the public to the implosion of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/cryptocurrency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cryptocurrency</a> exchange FTX, which plaintiffs characterized as a “Ponzi scheme.”
The company filed for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/30-year-old-billionaire-loses-entire-fortune-overnight-as-his-bahamas-based-cryptocurrency-empire-implodes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bankruptcy</a> on Friday after customers discovered that firms controlled by Sam Bankman-Fried and his associates were allegedly fraudulently intertwined, causing a liquidity crisis as users rushed to withdraw funds. The <a href="https://htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/files/ftx-lawsuit-1-main-1668613943.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a>, filed on Tuesday in the Southern District of Florida on behalf of investor Edwin Garrison and others affected by the company’s sudden failure, named as defendants former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and celebrity ambassadors who allegedly participated in the “fraudulent scheme” against unsophisticated investors.
The lawsuit argued that the brand ambassadors, many of whom received equity stakes in the company, neglected to perform “any due diligence” before marketing FTX to the public, adding that their failure to disclose “the nature, scope, and amount of compensation they personally received” in exchange for promoting FTX constitutes “a violation of the anti-touting provisions of the federal securities laws.”
Among the defendants listed were Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel ex-wife Gisele Bündchen, who appeared in an advertisement for the company and held equity stakes. The lawsuit also noted that celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary assured the public that FTX was a reliable entity as recently as last month.
Other celebrities listed in the lawsuit include Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry, retired baseball player David Ortiz, basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, comedian Larry David, and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The lawsuit, citing “misrepresentations and omissions made and broadcast around the country through the television and internet” by the defendants, claimed that the celebrities were responsible for the “many billions of dollars” lost by the plaintiffs. A number of individual users and institutional clients still have as much as $8 billion remaining with the company, which Bankman-Fried has reportedly attempted to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-crypto-billionaire-sam-bankman-fried-whose-entire-fortune-just-went-to-zero-is-calling-around-for-new-investors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">solicit from investors</a> with little success.
Bankman-Fried, whose $15 billion net worth evaporated along with the collapsed company, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-got-overconfident-and-careless-sam-bankman-fried-reveals-what-went-wrong-with-ftx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">commented</a> via social media that his present goal is to “do right by customers” before shifting his focus to investors. Referencing his coverage from the media as a cryptocurrency wunderkind, some of which <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-times-runs-puff-piece-about-disgraced-billionaire-sam-bankman-fried-leaves-out-connections-to-democrats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continued</a> even after his company declared bankruptcy, Bankman-Fried asserted that his team was once “held as paragons of running an effective company.” Nevertheless, features “on the cover of every magazine” and attention as the “darling” of Silicon Valley caused him to grow “overconfident and careless.”
The young entrepreneur and his associates are presently under supervision by police in the Bahamas, where his company is headquartered, since they reportedly considered fleeing the country for Dubai, according to a <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/sam-bankman-fried-is-under-supervision-in-bahamas-looking-to-flee-to-dubai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from Cointelegraph. Bahamian and American officials are <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bahamas-may-ship-disgraced-crypto-ceo-sam-bankman-fried-back-to-the-united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">working</a> to transport Bankman-Fried out of the island nation as regulators seek to address the crisis. Members of the House Financial Services Committee will hold hearings on the situation next month, during which they plan to hear from Bankman-Fried and other executives involved in related entities, including competitor Binance, which nearly purchased FTX.
Bankman-Fried <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/here-are-the-democrats-and-republicans-who-received-campaign-cash-linked-to-bankrupt-crypto-empire-ftx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">donated</a> $39 million during the recent midterm election cycle on behalf of Democratic candidates and organizations, according to <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/top_donors/2022?disp=D&amp;type=V&amp;superonly=N" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from Open Secrets, which listed him as the nation’s sixth-largest individual midterm donor. FTX Co-CEO Ryan Salame donated heavily to right-leaning organizations, according to more <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/donor_detail/2022?id=U0000004758&amp;type=I&amp;super_only=N&amp;name=Salame%2C+Ryan+D.+%26+Susan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from Open Secrets.

Collage Maker-16-Nov-2022-04.14-PM

Tom Brady, Steph Curry, Other Celebrities Sued For Pushing ‘Ponzi Scheme’ FTX

Celebrities And Sports Stars Named In Class Action Lawsuit Against FTX

Business

Crime

Gisele Bundchen

Larry David

Lawsuit

Steph Curry

Tom Brady

A host of celebrities stand to lose massive stakes in <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/cryptocurrency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cryptocurrency</a> platform FTX after the company suddenly went under last week.
FTX filed for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/30-year-old-billionaire-loses-entire-fortune-overnight-as-his-bahamas-based-cryptocurrency-empire-implodes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bankruptcy</a> on Friday after users discovered that firms controlled by Sam Bankman-Fried, the 30-year-old founder of FTX, were likely fraudulently intertwined. The entrepreneur went from maintaining a $15.6 billion net worth to having “no material wealth” virtually overnight, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-11/bankman-fried-s-effective-altruism-implodes-with-his-fortunes#:~:text=The%20Bloomberg%20Billionaires%20Index%2C%20which,to%20have%20no%20material%20wealth." target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Among other aggressive marketing efforts, FTX had solicited a number of professional athletes to participate in advertisements featuring the exchange platform. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bündchen, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-brady-confirms-divorce-from-wife-gisele-bundchen-after-13-years-of-marriage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">divorced</a> last month, were once <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uymLJoKFlW8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brand ambassadors</a> with the company and held equity stakes, according to a <a href="https://blog.ftx.com/blog/mid_year_review_2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from FTX.
Golden State Warriors player Steph Curry was also made an ambassador for the company and given shares, according to a <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/tom-brady-steph-curry-and-kevin-oleary-set-to-lose-big-from-ftx-bankruptcy-filing-11668205535?mod=banking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from MarketWatch. Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence agreed to a multi-year sponsorship contract with FTX in which he would receive cryptocurrency as part of his signing bonus. The company also signed deals to become the “official cryptocurrency exchange partner” of Major League Baseball and paid to call the Miami Heat’s home court the FTX Arena until at least 2040.
Blockfolio, a subsidiary of FTX, became a sponsor of Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy’s retail investing show Davey Daytrader Global. According to Portnoy, the company was their “biggest client ever.” Influencer and athlete Logan Paul partnered with FTX ahead of his fight with Floyd Mayweather, while comedian Larry David appeared in a Super Bowl <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH5-rSxilxo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">commercial</a> for FTX earlier this year.
Los Angeles Angels pitcher and outfielder Shohei Ohtani became a global ambassador for the company at the end of last year and received “all of his compensation in equity and cryptocurrencies,” according to a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mlb-superstar-shohei-ohtani-joins-ftx-as-global-ambassador-through-long-term-partnership-301425911.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. Other ambassadors included basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary, retired baseball player David Ortiz, and tennis star Naomi Osaka, according to a <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-celebrities-including-tom-brady-tied-to-ftx-see-the-list-11668109684" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The Wall Street Journal.
Account holders reportedly had difficulty removing their assets from FTX after the company filed for bankruptcy. It is not clear whether the celebrities paid in cryptocurrency continued to manage the digital coins in FTX accounts.
At least some celebrities and investors, however, were wise enough to avoid FTX and Bankman-Fried. As revealed in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-set-off-my-bs-detector-musk-wanted-nothing-to-do-with-now-bankrupt-crypto-billionaire-who-wanted-a-piece-of-twitter-buyout" target="_blank" rel="noopener">messages</a> between Elon Musk and investment banker Michael Grimes, the purported wunderkind had expressed interest in joining the world’s richest man as he acquired social media company Twitter, through both a multibillion-dollar stake and assistance with engineering a blockchain component for the platform.
When approached by Grimes about the potential partnership, Musk said that he was “backlogged with a mountain of critical work matters” and observed that supporting Twitter via blockchain would be “impossible,” since the bandwidth requirements would demand an “absolutely gigantic” peer-to-peer network that would defeat the purpose of decentralization. After Grimes said that Bankman-Fried would still be interested in Musk’s vision for Twitter purely from an investment standpoint, the world’s richest man agreed to speak with him later as long as he did not “have to have a laborious blockchain debate.”
Once the cryptocurrency exchange fizzled, Musk <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1591224814597189633" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> on social media that he had never trusted Bankman-Fried. “He set off my bs detector,” Musk said, “which is why I did not think he had” $3 billion.
Bankman-Fried, a self-proclaimed “effective altruist,” contributed nearly $39 million to support Democrats in the recent midterm elections, which occurred days before his company imploded, according to <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/top_donors/2022?disp=D&amp;type=V&amp;superonly=N" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from Open Secrets. He had been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/billionaire-ftx-founder-who-lost-entire-fortune-gave-massive-sum-to-democrats-before-empire-collapsed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">preparing</a> to spend as much as $1 billion during the 2024 election cycle to keep the Democratic Party in control of the White House.

Collage Maker-14-Nov-2022-03.32-PM

From Brady To Shaq, Here Are The Celebrities Who Lost Big On The FTX Implosion

Celebrities Will Lose Big From FTX Implosion

Dave Portnoy

NBA legend <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/shaq-denounces-celebrity-status-celebrities-are-going-freaking-crazy-and-i-dont-want-to-be-one/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shaquille O&#8217;Neal</a> said during a recent interview that he was not ready to rule out the possibility that the earth might be flat.
<a href="https://dailywire.com/news/extremely-generous-shaq-reportedly-foots-25000-tab-for-entire-restaurant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">O&#8217;Neal</a> joined Australia&#8217;s popular morning show &#8220;The Kyle and Jackie O Show,&#8221; and the conversation spanned a number of topics — from his most recent extravagant purchase to his beliefs about science.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Shaq Explains Why He Doesn&#39;t Dismiss the &#39;Flat Earth&#39; Conspiracy Theory H/T: Chief Nerd 🇺🇸Join Us👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/Sgtnewsnetwork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SGTnewsNetwork</a> <a href="https://t.co/vhLLe703OS">pic.twitter.com/vhLLe703OS</a>
&mdash; Willem (@NerumWim) <a href="https://twitter.com/NerumWim/status/1562916457012498432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I did hear a podcast once where you were fighting with someone and claiming that you thought the world was flat and that there&#8217;s no way it was round,&#8221; host Kyle Sandilands prompted. &#8220;Was that a joke or is that what you think?&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s a theory,&#8221; Shaq said simply.
&#8220;So neither,&#8221; Sandilands replied.
&#8220;No, I mean —&#8221; O&#8217;Neal started to explain when Jackie O. jumped in, adding, &#8220;No, it&#8217;s a theory.&#8221;
&#8220;No — it’s just a theory,&#8221; O&#8217;Neal said again. &#8220;You know, they teach us a lot of things, it&#8217;s just a theory. For example, I flew 20 hours today. Not once did I go this way?&#8221;
The basketball legend waved his hand in a circle to illustrate his point.
&#8220;I didn’t tip over and didn’t go upside down. So, but it is just a theory,&#8221; he said again.
Sandilands pushed back a bit, arguing, &#8220;No, you — cause if you left New York, you can fly that way to Australia. And if you left out of Los Angeles, you can fly that way. So how does that work?”
&#8220;But it’s still a straight line,&#8221; O&#8217;Neal protested. &#8220;You don’t go under, it’s just a theory. And then, you know, another theory — how they say the world is spinning. I’ve been living on the house on the lake for 30 years. Not once did the lake rotate to the left or rotate to the right.&#8221;
&#8220;I’ve thought of that, too. I’ve thought, if we’re spinning so fast, why aren’t we dizzy?” Sandilands asked.
O&#8217;Neal also informed the hosts that he had recently splurged on a 70-foot animatronic dinosaur for his home — which he referred to as a &#8220;brontosaurus rex.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
RICH AF basketball legend <a href="https://twitter.com/SHAQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SHAQ</a> shares with us his latest ballin&#39; purchase!!! 🦖 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShaquilleONeal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShaquilleONeal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Shaq?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Shaq</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KJShow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KJShow</a> <a href="https://t.co/BNbAUG3V65">pic.twitter.com/BNbAUG3V65</a>
&mdash; Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo) <a href="https://twitter.com/kyleandjackieo/status/1562226359275253760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The former NBA star has addressed the topic <a href="https://ew.com/tv/2017/03/24/shaq-jimmy-kimmel-live-flat-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously</a>, making several similar arguments during a 2017 conversation with late night host Jimmy Kimmel — after which he clarified, &#8220;I&#8217;m just joking, relax!&#8221;

Governors Ball 2022

Shaq Can’t Rule Out The Possibility The Earth Is Flat

Shaquille O'Neal Can't Rule Out The Possibility The Earth Is Flat

Air Travel

Australia

Science

Shaq

Former NBA superstar Shaquille O&#8217;Neal reportedly treated a whole restaurant to dinner the other night when he paid the tab of $25,000 at the eatery after making an appearance with a mystery woman.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shaq-denounces-celebrity-status-celebrities-are-going-freaking-crazy-and-i-dont-want-to-be-one">50-year-old sports analyst</a> and former professional basketball player reportedly arrived at the Chelsea hotspot Jue Lan Club in New York City with an unidentified woman, whom he was overheard describing as &#8220;my date,&#8221; sources told <a href="https://pagesix.com/2022/06/14/shaquille-oneal-pays-for-fellow-diners-tab-on-nyc-date-night/?utm_source=P6Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;crl8_id=e5e600d6-d960-4a7e-b756-35766f09e26b">Page Six</a> in a piece published Tuesday.
After the two had dinner, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sheriff-shaq-oneal-wants-more-law-enforcement-hank-berrien">Shaq</a> reportedly showed off his generous side, paying for dinner for the entire service team at the restaurant.
&#8220;And to top that off, he paid for everyone&#8217;s check [who was] dining at the restaurant,&#8221; the source shared.
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The outlet noted that O&#8217;Neal wanted to keep his treat to the 40 tables of patrons a secret until he had left the restaurant.
Sources said the bill amounted to &#8220;well over $25,000.&#8221; The source also told the outlet that Shaq was &#8220;extremely generous&#8221; to Jue Lan&#8217;s staff.
&#8220;He left them the biggest tip they&#8217;ve ever received,&#8221; the source added.
The sports analyst followed up his generosity the next day when he showed off a newly refurbished basketball court where a boys and girls club he used to be as a child in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey, through the help of his foundation and corporate sponsor Icy Hot, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/shaq-nyc-restaurant-new-court-new-jersey">Fox News</a> noted. O&#8217;Neal initially renovated the court back in 1992.
&#8220;This court is for you guys,&#8221; Shaq told <a href="https://www.fox5ny.com/news/shaquille-oneal-newark-basketball-court-housing">Fox5 New York</a>. &#8220;You guys can just come out here and follow your dreams, and take it from me, you can be whatever you want to be. I&#8217;m you — I&#8217;m not the guy that was the smartest in school. I&#8217;m not the guy that was most popular. I&#8217;m you. We come from the same place.&#8221;
In February, the basketball legend surprised the Collins family of 11 with not one but two new cars, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaV6LfuFdZ2/?utm_medium=copy_link">ESPN noted</a> in a post on Instagram.
&#8220;Today Shaq blessed us like never before,&#8221; the Collins family captioned their post on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaTZMkUAeRo/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=61e2a9f5-9d09-4fbc-aeda-76627684e502">social media</a>. &#8220;Last night we had a surprise visit from Shaq. He took us to dinner as a family at babes chicken. It was so much fun to just hang out and eat dinner with him.&#8221;
The post noted how Shaq even foot the bill for another table&#8217;s meal before he ended up tipping the waitress &#8220;$1000 after her car broke down today.&#8221;
&#8220;And then today! He started the day off by taking us to the Mercedes dealership to get us a new family 15 passenger van,&#8221; the family&#8217;s post read.
The family later shared that when he saw the state of the husband&#8217;s truck, which has &#8220;been without air-conditioning and heat for a while,&#8221; the former NBA star &#8220;took us to a Ford dealership and blessed us with another truck.&#8221;

Philadelphia 76ers v Miami Heat

‘Extremely Generous’: Shaq Reportedly Foots $25,000 Tab For Entire Restaurant

'Extremely Generous’: Shaq Reportedly Foots $25,000 Tab For Entire Restaurant

Economy

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Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal no longer wants to be considered a celebrity in light of &#8220;crazy&#8221; things that many celebrities are doing in today&#8217;s world and how they treat people.
“These celebrities are going freaking crazy and I don’t want to be one. I denounce my celebrity-ness today. I’m done with it,” O’Neal <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/09/24/shaq-is-retiring-from-celebrity-status-out-of-their-mind/">told</a> the New York Post. “I don’t want to be in that category. Celebrities are crazy, they really are. Don’t call me that anymore. These people are out of their freaking mind with how they treat people, what they do, what they say. That’s never been me. I never want to be looked at like that.”
The Post noted that since retiring from the NBA, O&#8217;Neal has focused on helping others and is known for performing random acts of kindness.
The report highlighted one such instance when O&#8217;Neal bought a stranger an engagement ring at a jewelry store.
“I went in there to get some loop earrings and I seen the guy and he was just so shy and he was saying [to the cashier], ‘Hey, how much do I owe to pay off the ring?’ I said, ‘My man, how much is the ring?’” O’Neal said, later adding that the kind gesture “is just something I do everyday.”
“I’m into making people happy, so whenever I leave the house I just try and do a good deed. I didn’t mean for that to get out. That’s not why I do it&#8230; The guy just came in, he was a young kid, hardworking guy,” Shaq said. “I was like, you know what, ‘Tell your girlfriend I got it, I’ll take care of it.&#8217; At first he didn’t want to take it,” O’Neal recalled, later adding, “I’m just trying to make people smile, that’s all.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;I&#39;m just trying to make people smile&#8230; That&#39;s all.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/SHAQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SHAQ</a> helped a young man out at a local jewelry store by paying for his engagement ring. <a href="https://t.co/eK8n0YHGb7">pic.twitter.com/eK8n0YHGb7</a>
&mdash; NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1379664898934796290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
O&#8217;Neal has at times spoken up for values that many celebrities are quiet on, like the issue of free speech.
The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shaq-blasts-china-were-going-to-say-whatever-we-want-to-say-when-we-want-to-say-it">highlighted</a> how O&#8217;Neal spoke out against China over the controversy back in 2019 when Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey posted a tweet in support of Hong Kong.
“As American people, we do a lot of business in China,” O’Neal said. “And they know and understand our values and we understand their values. And one of our best values in America is free speech. We’re allowed to say what we want to say and we’re allowed to speak up on injustices, and that’s just how it goes. And if people don&#8217;t understand that, that&#8217;s something that they have to deal with.”
“Daryl Morey was right,” O’Neal said. “Whenever you see something going on wrong anywhere in the world, you should have the right to say that’s not right, and that’s what he did.”
“Here, we have the right to speak,” O’Neal continued. “And especially with social media, we’re going to say whatever we want to say, when we want to say it.”

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NBC will be hosting an hour-long vaccination special on Sunday titled “Roll Up Your Sleeves,” in a bid to raise awareness and encourage Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Nearly 100 million people across the U.S. have already received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine — and now Michelle Obama and a few famous friends will do their part to encourage the rest of the country to get their shots,” reported NBC’s <a href="https://www.today.com/popculture/roll-your-sleeves-nbc-special-include-michelle-obama-matthew-mcconaughey-t213798">&#8220;Today&#8221;</a> show.
Presented by Walgreens, the special will feature former first lady Michelle Obama, Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Chief Medical Adviser to the President, will be interviewed by Matthew McConaughey. Viewers will hear from Dr. Fauci on separating fact from fiction about the vaccines and urging all Americans to do their part in getting the vaccine when eligible,” according to a <a href="https://news.walgreens.com/covid-19/press-releases-1/michelle-obama-dr-anthony-fauci-lin-manuel-miranda-and-matthew-mcconaughey-to-appear-on-nbcs-roll-up-your-sleeves-vaccination-special-produced-by-attn-airing-sunday-april-18.htm">press release</a> from Walgreens.
“Audiences will be treated to comedy acts, informative packages, captivating real-life stories and heartwarming surprises,” the press release added.
According to Deadline, the vaccination special will be hosted by NFL star Russel Wilson and musician Ciara, who are married to one another. Jennifer Lopez, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Billy Crystal will also be featured.
“The ability to get people back to work and kids back in school, getting us reunited with family and friends and attending concerts, sporting events and many other activities we hold dear is contingent upon people getting vaccinated,” said Matthew Segal, the Co-Founder of ATTN:, the organization that created this event. “At ATTN: we believe in the power of entertainment to inform audiences, and we’re thrilled to partner with NBC, Civic Nation, Walgreens and many great public figures and performers to get out this critical message.”
Roz Brewer, CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, said that “trusted voices” could help “dispel myths surrounding vaccinations.”
“Bringing together trusted voices, including celebrities, community leaders and our pharmacists, we can help answer questions and dispel myths surrounding vaccinations and ensure that the U.S. emerges from this very challenging time as quickly as possible,” <a href="https://www.broadway.com/buzz/200586/lin-manuel-miranda-dr-anthony-fauci-more-set-for-nbcs-roll-up-your-sleeves-vaccination-special/">said</a> Brewer.
The hour-long special is executive produced by Tom Werner, Valerie Jarrett, Matthew Segal, Jarrett Moreno, Taye Shuayb, Jessie Surovell, Mike Vainisi, Audrey Morrissey, Ivan Dudynsky, and Chad Hines.
This is not the first time celebrities have been leveraged as a trusted resource regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. 
“I’m not a doctor, but I trust science,” actor Morgan Freeman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/morgan-freeman-if-you-trust-me-youll-get-the-vaccine">said</a> in a public service announcement he cut for Creative Coalition, a nonprofit arts advocacy group, earlier in April. “And I’m told that, for some reason, people trust me.”
“So here I am to say, I trust science and I got the vaccine,” he continued. “If you trust me, you’ll get the vaccine. In math, it’s called the distributive property. In people, it’s called taking care of one another. Get the vaccine. Help make our world a safe place for us to enjoy ourselves again. Please?”
Freeman joined a <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2021/03/celebrities-who-got-the-covid-19-vaccine.html">long list of public figures</a> who have advocated for their followers to receive one of the new COVID-19 vaccines, such as Sir Ian McKellen, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steve Martin, Samuel L. Jackson, and Martha Stewart. Singer Dolly Parton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjbSWebA3Ko">changed the words</a> of her hit song “Joline” to “vaccine” to promote them to her many fans. Singer Bette Midler told Jimmy Kimmel that she would be having “tons of anonymous sex” after her two-week wait for the vaccine.

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama, Matthew McConaughey, Fauci, And Others Team Up For NBC Vaccination Special

Anthony Fauci

Charles Barkley

COVID-19 Vaccine

Matthew McConaughey

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