Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t hide the fact that he enjoys helping others. Rather than keep it to himself or blow his goodwill on just one person, O’Neal likes to practice selfless deeds en masse. Just look at his most recent act of generosity. After reuniting with former teammate and family member Danny Ainge, Shaq is helping renovate his home.
On Monday, Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. ET, TNT’s “Inside the NBA” will showcase a special episode of “Unsung,” which will chronicle the biggest regular season win of O’Neal’s career on Feb. 18, 2002 – the night of the “Block that Changed Basketball.”
When asked why he considered his Uncle Roy the perfect choice for the renovation, Shaq said it was because of his Uncle Roy’s eagerness to transition into his role as a senior citizen and enjoy living on his own in a luxury apartment.
“I feel special because even though I’ve had money, I’ve been able to weather the storm and keep him involved,” O’Neal said. “There are a lot of guys who grew up with security who discard them.”
But convincing Uncle Roy to finally agree on the home renovation was no easy task, Shaq tells ET, “but he recognized that at 75 years old, he didn’t put to much effort into his home anymore, and everyone he knew was enjoying visiting, since they no longer had to climb two sets of stairs.”
When I told him he couldn’t (compete), he said yeah, and I told him I have to do a lot of convincing (for him to do it), but I was just a little kid. I talked him into doing it. I wanted it.
Watch Shaq and his family work one on one with contractors to upgrade the Home Court at Boys and Girls Village and give the kids there somewhere to hang up their hats, call “home,” and most importantly, call their own. Learn More at: https://www.hgtv.ca/shows/shaq-where-the-games-play-real/videos.
After spending 13 seasons with the Lakers, 15 with the Miami Heat, and 1 with the Phoenix Suns, Shaquille O’Neal is now retired. He’s now focusing on his acting career, and one of his latest projects is “Uncle Drew”. In the movie, he plays a 70-year-old man who is on a basketball tour. He teams up with a group of other old basketball players, and together, they challenge a younger team.