The word “big” applies to Shaquille O’Neal in every way. The size of his heart and generosity of spirit are no exception.
Videos By Rare
Now a retired basketball legend, Shaquille O’Neal likes to make a kid’s day — every day.
“I try to make every day a meaningful moment for a fan, and especially a kid,” he recently told People.
In the new interview, published Thursday, Shaquille O’Neal mentioned that he just gave two bikes and two scooters to kids.
“My favorite thing to do is when I’m in Best Buy, Walmart, if I see a kid, get them something that I see he’s looking at,” Shaq said.
But, lest anyone think he just doles out gifts to kids willy nilly, he was quick to clarify.
“Well, first I always tell them to ask their parents if they’re going to take things from strangers,” he explained. “You don’t want kids to get used to having a stranger come up and say, ‘Hey, I got a whole lot of money. Can I buy you something?’ “
Beyond helping children, Shaquille O’Neal recalled giving a plate of food to a homeless woman outside a restaurant in Texas. After footage of the exchange went viral, the woman’s sister showed up at the restaurant saying she didn’t know her sister’s whereabouts until she heard about Shaq’s good deed.
“When I do stuff like that, I never record it,” he added.
Shaquille O’Neal: A Monster Benefactor — And A Monster On The Court
Fans of Shaquille O’Neal may recall that, about five years ago, he bought new furniture for the same reason. He gave it to the family of a 5-year-old Atlanta girl who survived a dog attack that left another child dead.
Shaquille O’Neal is a national spokesman for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. In 2019, he created The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation, which helps underserved youth.
Standing at an imposing 7 feet and 1 inch tall, Shaquille O’Neal played in the NBA from 1992 till 2011. In addition to the Lakers, he was a member of the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.
Shaq received numerous trophies throughout his career — for NBA MVP, Rookie of the Year, NBA Finals MVP and more. Additionally, he earned the 2005 BET Sportsman of the Year honor and a 2022 Academy Award for executive producing the documentary short film The Queen of Basketball.
Both the Lakers and the Heat retired his number — 34 for L.A. and 32 for Miami.