NEW YORK -- Throughout his 20-year career and even in retirement, Shaquille O'Neal has always been one of the biggest personalities in the NBA. From his off-court activities (rapping and acting), to his Shaq-isms to his in-game flair, O'Neal loves to have fun and made sure everyone around him was included.
O'Neal's fun-loving personality also never ceases to quit -- a trait that his former coach Phil Jackson greatly admires.
Jackson spoke glowingly about O'Neal at an American Express event in downtown Manhattan on Monday, referencing Shaq's basketball prowess but also pointing out that the soon-to-be-inducted Hall of Fame center was a master at appropriately using levity. Like when O'Neal showed up to a Lakers practice completely nude expect for his sneakers.
"Well, you know, numbers of times, he could crack a team up with humorous effects on the floor." Jackson recalled. "There were times when he shocked us all in a practice situation, especially when he showed up nude with just his shoes on."
O'Neal smiled at this story yet was reluctant to expound further on it, telling Jackson that he "doesn't remember" doing that. However, interacting with his teammates and coaches while fully nude is actually a regular occurrence for O'Neal as Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told ESPN in 2014. Gentry coached Shaq on the Phoenix Suns and remembers O'Neal wrestling his teammates while being nude.
"The thing that [Shaq] did that [he] got to be notorious for, every few days or every week or so, he would decide that it was time for Brazilian naked wrestling contest." Gentry remembers. "You would never know who the chosen one was. But what would happen, when you least expect it, this seven-foot, 310-pound guy would turn the corner and he would be stark naked and he would run right at you full speed. Grab you, take you the floor and then he would do about five roll overs with you. And he would always tell our trainers, who it was gonna be, so they were always prepared for it. But you never knew, who it was going to be."
This means that there are now two stories of O'Neal frolicking around nude during team situations. So while Shaq "may" not remember these occasions, it seems like his nudity will forever be etched in the minds of his former coaches and also perhaps his former teammates.
