Shaquille O’Neal has always been a dominant presence on the hardwood in the NBA. The fact that he was 7’1 despite weighing between 325 and 425 pounds during his playing career led to him being labeled ‘MDE’, also known as ‘the most dominant of all time’.
The unique part of O’Neal being as big as he was was the fact that he was just as athletic as several forwards who were also in the league. He could move well in transition, had good footwork and could change direction at will.
However, there came a time when his weight became a bit of an issue as he had gone deep in his quest for dominance. His last title with the Los Angeles Lakers saw him weigh in at over 400 pounds, around 70-100 pounds over his ideal weight.
Read also : “Hahaha, not Draymond Green pulling his shot to meet Beyonce!” : Shaquille O’Neal reposts a hilarious ad before the NBA playoffs!
Shaquille O’Neal on trying to lose weight at 51
Even in retirement, at 51, Shaquille O’Neal continues to strive to maintain a healthy weight for himself. He posted several photos of himself on his weight loss journey over the past year, showing off his abs and overall physique.
During “The Big Podcast,” Shaq told his co-hosts, Nischelle Turner and Spice Adams, that he’s been on a weight loss journey. He would then delve into his ideal weight without revealing too much about his current situation.
“I’m 10 pounds off my destination weight. I will not tell [what my weight is] because the number is always a big number. I don’t want people to say, ‘Shaq weighs too much’, Shaq said. After Adams suggested that a leaner version of him would weigh around 280 pounds, O’Neal quickly rebutted, saying: “280? Ew, that’s too skinny.
Shaquille O’Neal suffers from sleep apnea
Shaquille O’Neal has had to deal with a few health-related complications over the past few years. One of them was his sleep apnea which he was diagnosed with last year. He was told it had gotten to the point where he could suffer from both high blood pressure and strokes if not treated properly.
After his doctor told him he could die, he took his recovery very seriously. He now sleeps with a sleeping machine. “I really had to get myself checked. When they hit you with that 3 letter word that starts with ‘D’ and ends with ‘E’, it changes things. said O’Neal.
Read also : ‘Stephen Curry is a real hypeman’: Shaquille O’Neal recalls the adorable Curry family ad from the 90s