Shaquille O’Neal turned 50 this weekend, a milestone he celebrated by taking flight … or at least trying to. In his Lakers heyday, O’Neal was known for his thunderous dunks, attacking the basket with authority. Sadly, those days are long gone, with O’Neal now barely able to dunk on a 10-foot rim.
Obviously, O’Neal hasn’t played professionally in over a decade, but it’s still surprising he had such difficulty executing what used to be his signature move. In fairness, Shaq wasn’t exactly dressed for the occasion. O’Neal would have been more aerodynamic in gym shorts and sneakers, but instead opted for formal wear, taking to the hardwood in dress slacks and penny loafers.
O’Neal caught plenty of flak from TNT colleagues Dwayne Wade, Candace Parker and Adam Lefkoe, who took delight in mocking the big man’s nonexistent hops. Reaching for any excuse he could find, O’Neal lamented not having time to practice (“I get two weeks to prepare”) while insisting his “dunk” was actually an homage to Dwight Howard.
Shaq has taken it on the chin this week, getting clowned on social media for a viral clip that resurfaced amid record-high gas prices.
Shaq may not be a high-flyer anymore but we’ll never forget the time he demolished the backboard at Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey, nearly decapitating himself in the process.
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