Latest news with #O'Neal
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Shaq has been refurbishing basketball courts for 30 years, knows firsthand how they can help kids
Shaquille O'Neal knows exactly how much refurbishing a basketball court can mean to a community and the kids who play on it. HT Image He learned firsthand from his former Boston Celtics teammate Marquis Daniels. He was a teenager three decades ago when O'Neal was playing with the Orlando Magic and rebuilt a court in the inner-city area where Daniels was growing up. 'It was big. He was somebody growing up that I looked up to, he was the tallest person I had ever seen,' Daniels told The Associated Press. 'He was playing with my home team, the Orlando Magic, and giving back to the community and showing his appreciation. For kids like me to have a court in the inner city was huge.' Years later when they were teammates in Boston, Daniels reminded the Hall of Famer that he had been at that court dedication and how it helped change his life. After a 10-year career in the NBA, Daniels has been working as a coach at his alma mater, Auburn, since 2018. O'Neal recalled Daniels telling him the story. 'He said, 'You don't remember me?'' O'Neal said while in Rockwall, Texas, to refurbish another court near his new home. 'I said no, and he said well I was one of the kids that grew up in Orlando and you fixed up a court. Because you fixed it up, I'm here.' Refurbishing courts is commonplace around the NBA and WNBA. The Indiana Fever unveiled a new Legacy Court at a park in Indianapolis during All-Star weekend and the league has an initiative this year to put down orange lines across the country to inspire young players with a WNBA 3-point arc on outdoor courts. The renovated court at Gloria Williams park is now part of a collection of Comebaq Courts, a joint venture by Icy Hot and the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation to build well-equipped and safe courts for kids across the country. 'They found this court that hasn't been refurbished in a while and that's historical with the city," O'Neal said. Renovating one in Rockwall was actually the idea of Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale. She has played her entire career in Dallas and wanted to do something for the community. 'This is like my second home. I've been here my whole career, so this initiative with Icy Hot and Shaq was a no-brainer,' she said. 'Just to give back to the youth that pours into us and my teammates every night is special." It's special to O'Neal also as he plans to spend a lot of his time in the Texas city. 'I'll get on my little scooter or motorcycle and just ride by and see what's going on with the kids,' he said. 'I work in Atlanta, but it's only an hour flight and I'm sure at some point this will be my permanent home.' O'Neal, who is the president of Reebok Basketball, also donated basketball shoes to all the members of the Boys & Girls Club kids who were at the event. ___ AP WNBA: AP NBA:
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shaquille O'Neal Says Retiring in The Villages Is a ‘Dream Scenario'—and He Wants To Find Out if the Wild Rumors Are True
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal has revealed his 'dream' is to retire in Florida's infamous community, The Villages, to discover if the sordid rumors about what goes on there are true. The 53-year-old former Miami Heat star, who shot his time on the basketball court away in 2011, has been sharing his pro insights as a sports analyst on 'Inside the NBA' and his podcast, 'The Big Podcast,' which he co-hosts with Adam Lefkoe. Most recently, O'Neal and Lefkoe welcomed boxing icon Mike Tyson to their studio and lifted the lid on what they want their future to look like. Although it's been many years since O'Neal thought about his retirement from basketball, the athlete revealed that he now has his eyes on retiring from his string of careers in general—and is looking forward to settling down in one specific place. When Lefkoe asked O'Neal what his 'dream retirement scenario' is, the basketball icon was quick to reveal that he already had a plan in place that saw him living the rest of his days at The Villages—the retirement community that has become known for its wild goings-on and STD reports. He began by noting that he always thinks about the fact that he has 'seven summers' left until he is 60. Tyson chimed in, 'That's how you have to think about, and then you have to ask yourself, 'What am I going to do at the end of my seventh summer?'' 'I tell my kids all the time that I don't want them taking care of me,' O'Neal, who shares children Shareef, 25, Amirah, 23, Shaqir, 22, and Me'arah, 19, with ex-wife Shaunie, said. He also has a stepson, Myles, 28, from Shaunie's former marriage. He also shares daughter Taahirah, 29, with ex-girlfriend, Arnetta Yardbourgh. O'Neal then lifted the lid on where he hopes he will spend his days after ringing in age 65. 'The dream scenario is: There's this place called The Villages. The Villages is an old folks' home, but they have the highest rate of STDs. I want to be there. 'When I get to 65 and I can't move, take me down to Ocala, Florida. Just drop me off, my boy,' the hoops star said. The Villages has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a trailer park in the 1970s. Today, it is a thriving, age-55-and-older community that spans 57 square miles—although it looks set to increase that footprint in the coming years. Last year, U.S. Census data revealed that The Villages was the nation's fastest-growing metro, growing 4.7% between 2022 and 2023. The purpose-built community offers its residents a wide array of amenities, including 3,000 social and special-interest clubs as well as activities like square dancing, drama, water ballet, belly dancing, precision golf cart driving, cheerleading, and tambourine tapping. There are also 14 country clubs, 17 pools, and 100,000 golf carts. Adding to The Villages' appeal is its access to all of the community amenities—gyms, pools, rec centers, softball fields, golf courses, clubs, and activities—are available for a fee of $199 per month, no matter the size of a resident's home. However, while the community is advertised as a thriving 'backdrop where you can live life to the fullest,' it is The Villages' residents and its bustling social scene that have attracted the most attention over the years. Many reports and rumors have emerged about the reportedly risqué scene that has emerged inside The Villages—with the community making national headlines in 2006, when WFTV news reported that its Women's Center had seen a enormous uptick in the number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases. 'One physician at the Women's Center of The Villages said even in her years working in Miami, she has never seen so many cases,' the report stated. This quote went viral, and the community quickly became known as the 'STD Capital of America,' despite subsequent reporting calling attention to the fact that there was no accurate data to back up these rumors. Still, the stain of scandal has persisted inside The Villages ever since—with more fuel added to that fire when reports began to surface, suggesting that a group of swingers living in the community were using 'loofah signaling' in order to publicly express their sexual preferences to other residents. That rumor has been traced back to a riff made by comedian Tora Himan, an Orlando-area drag queen who previously performed at The Villages as part of a cabaret show. A similar whisper that ran rampant involved upside-down pineapples. That scandal saw people on the web claiming that upside-down pineapples in The Villages were a way to signalize swinging. As of this writing, there are over 800 homes for sale in The Villages on The community has roughly 71,000 homes total, with new ones springing up daily. The most expensive home on the market in The Villages right now clocks in at $2.4 million. The pricier homes in The Villages tend to be on a golf course, preserve, or lake, according to real estate agent April Couturier. The home mentioned above checks two of those boxes and also happens to be in one of the upscale neighborhoods around Lake Sumter. In addition to big plans for his retirement, O'Neal boasts an impressive real estate portfolio, holding the keys to a slew of multimillion-dollar properties in Texas, Florida, California, Georgia, and Nevada. 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Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Shaq has been refurbishing basketball courts for 30 years, knows first hand how they can help kids
Shaquille O'Neal knows exactly how much refurbishing a basketball court can mean to a community and the kids who play on it. He learned first-hand from his former Boston Celtics teammate Marquis Daniels. He was a teenager three decades ago when O'Neal was playing with the Orlando Magic and rebuilt a court in the inner city area where Daniels was growing up. 'It was big. He was somebody growing up that I looked up to, he was the tallest person I had ever seen,' Daniels told The AP. 'He was playing with my home team the Orlando Magic and giving back to the community and showing his appreciation. For kids like me to have a court in the inner city was huge.' Years later when they were teammates in Boston, Daniels reminded the Hall of Famer that he had been at that court dedication and how it helped change his life. After a 10-year career in the NBA, Daniels has been working as a coach at his alma mater Auburn since 2018. O'Neal recalled Daniels telling him the story. 'He said, you don't remember me?' O'Neal said while in Rockwell, Texas, to refurbish another court near his new home. 'I said no, and he said well I was one of the kids that grew up in Orlando and you fixed up a court. Because you fixed it up, I'm here.' Refurbishing courts is commonplace around the NBA and WNBA. The Indiana Fever unveiled a new Legacy Court at a local park in Indianapolis during All-Star weekend and the league has an initiative this year to put down orange lines across the country to inspire young players with a WNBA 3-point arc on outdoor courts. The renovated court at Gloria Williams park is now part of a collection of Comebaq Courts, a joint venture by Icy Hot and the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation to build well-equipped and safe courts for kids across the country. 'They found this court that hasn't been refurbished in a while and that's historical with the city,' O'Neal said. Renovating one in Rockwall was actually the idea of Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale. She's played her entire career in Dallas and wanted to do something for the community. 'This is like my second home. I've been here my whole career, so this initiative with Icy Hot and Shaq was a no-brainer,' she said. 'Just to give back to the youth that pours into us and my teammates every night is special.' It's special to O'Neal also as he plans to spend a lot of his time in the Texas city. 'I'll get on my little scooter or motorcycle and just ride by and see what's going on with the kids,' he said. 'I work in Atlanta, but it's only an hour flight and I'm sure at some point this will be my permanent home.' O'Neal, who is the president of Reebok Basketball, also donated basketball shoes to all the members of the Boys & Girls Club kids who were at the event. ___ AP WNBA: AP NBA:
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Shaq has been refurbishing basketball courts for 30 years, knows first hand how they can help kids
Shaquille O'Neal knows exactly how much refurbishing a basketball court can mean to a community and the kids who play on it. He learned first-hand from his former Boston Celtics teammate Marquis Daniels. He was a teenager three decades ago when O'Neal was playing with the Orlando Magic and rebuilt a court in the inner city area where Daniels was growing up. 'It was big. He was somebody growing up that I looked up to, he was the tallest person I had ever seen,' Daniels told The AP. 'He was playing with my home team the Orlando Magic and giving back to the community and showing his appreciation. For kids like me to have a court in the inner city was huge.' Years later when they were teammates in Boston, Daniels reminded the Hall of Famer that he had been at that court dedication and how it helped change his life. After a 10-year career in the NBA, Daniels has been working as a coach at his alma mater Auburn since 2018. O'Neal recalled Daniels telling him the story. 'He said, you don't remember me?' O'Neal said while in Rockwell, Texas, to refurbish another court near his new home. 'I said no, and he said well I was one of the kids that grew up in Orlando and you fixed up a court. Because you fixed it up, I'm here.' Refurbishing courts is commonplace around the NBA and WNBA. The Indiana Fever unveiled a new Legacy Court at a local park in Indianapolis during All-Star weekend and the league has an initiative this year to put down orange lines across the country to inspire young players with a WNBA 3-point arc on outdoor courts. The renovated court at Gloria Williams park is now part of a collection of Comebaq Courts, a joint venture by Icy Hot and the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation to build well-equipped and safe courts for kids across the country. 'They found this court that hasn't been refurbished in a while and that's historical with the city,' O'Neal said. Renovating one in Rockwall was actually the idea of Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale. She's played her entire career in Dallas and wanted to do something for the community. 'This is like my second home. I've been here my whole career, so this initiative with Icy Hot and Shaq was a no-brainer,' she said. 'Just to give back to the youth that pours into us and my teammates every night is special.' It's special to O'Neal also as he plans to spend a lot of his time in the Texas city. 'I'll get on my little scooter or motorcycle and just ride by and see what's going on with the kids,' he said. 'I work in Atlanta, but it's only an hour flight and I'm sure at some point this will be my permanent home.' O'Neal, who is the president of Reebok Basketball, also donated basketball shoes to all the members of the Boys & Girls Club kids who were at the event. ___ AP WNBA: AP NBA:
New York Post
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Shaq details why ‘I f–king hate' Rudy Gobert in wild rant as bad blood intensifies
Shaquille O'Neal's longstanding feud with Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert took an even more drastic twist Thursday. The NBA Hall of Famer has traded barbs with Gobert for years, but this time it got personal. 'I f–king hate Rudy Gobert,' said O'Neal on his podcast 'The Big Podcast with Shaq.' Advertisement 'Because that motherf–ker making $250 million, [and] he don't deserve it, dawg. F–k that. As the president of The Big Man Alliance, you making big money, play like a f–king big man. That's it. Throw some [elbows], knock some people out, don't be letting little white dudes from Denver dunk on you and talk s–t to you.' Gobert, a four-time defensive player of the year, has averaged 11.7 rebounds, 12.6 points, 2.1 blocks and 0.7 steals per game in his 12-year career. O'Neal is hoping those accomplishments aren't enough to make the two Hall of Fame counterparts. Advertisement 'If Rudy Gobert gets into the Hall of Fame, I'll wear this dress to the motherf–king ceremony,' said O'Neal while holding up a picture of Charles Barkley wearing a dress in a WeightWatchers commercial. O'Neal has targeted Gobert since at least 2021, when he made fun of his lack of offensive ability. Shaquille O'Neal is not a big fan of Rudy Gobert still. YouTube | Shaquille O'Neal Advertisement 'I'm not gonna hate, but this should be an inspiration to all the little kids out there,' O'Neal said. 'You average 11 points in the NBA, you can get $200 million.' His opinion of Gobert is so low that he even had rival Draymond Green's back when Green was suspended for putting Gobert in a headlock in 2023. Last season, O'Neal told Complex that Gobert was the worst NBA player of all time, along with Ben Simmons, whom he called 'another bum.' Advertisement Gobert responded to that diss on social media. O'Neal previously said he doesn't like Gobert because he averages 12 points per game. AP 'It is sad to see someone that has accomplished as much as you did @SHAQ both in sport and business still be triggered by another man's finances and accomplishments,' Gobert said. 'I get the entertainment part but unlike other folks, you don't need that stuff to stay relevant.'
