Shaquille O’Neal has been retired from playing in the NBA for almost five years now, but he was recently inspired to lace his shoes up again.
Last week, the Gainesville Police Department in Florida released a video of Officer Bobby White responding to a noise complaint regarding several kids in the neighborhood playing basketball. Upon arrival, Officer White assessed the situation and acted accordingly.
Once the video of the friendly encounter starting spreading across the Internet, Shaq decided he wanted to get in on the fun.
The fifteen-time NBA All-Star made a surprise appearance in the same neighborhood where the video was filmed to play the game that brought them all together.
While the presence of a basketball legend like Shaquille O’Neal would be enough to draw a crowd in any cul-de-sac, the Kings minority owner made an extra effort to keep his visit low-key. According to Action News 30 in Gainesville, O’Neal only contacted the Gainesville Information Officer Ben Tobias in order to limit the commotion and ensure that his time with the kids would be as personal as possible.
“I became a cop to help people,” Tobias said to Action News 30. “These kids will never forget the day Shaq rolled up to their neighborhood and played basketball with them.”
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