Shaquille O’Neal has gained a reputation for being rather goofy. The four-time NBA Champion has done many things in the past and continues to do things that keep up that reputation. A perfect example of this can be seen during the 2007 All-Star Game. Representing the East, Shaq rose up for a powerful slam in the middle of the game. After he landed he immediately grabbed the head of the person nearest to him, Tracy McGrady, and planted a kiss on his head. An action, that left Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and others bewildered, something that recently resurfaced on Instagram.
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Back in 2007, Shaq and T-Mac were two of the best players in the NBA. Playing for the Miami Heat, O’Neal had just come off a championship-winning season and was looking great in South Beach. On the other hand, McGrady was playing in the Western Conference. Representing the Houston Rockets, he was an elite scorer at the time himself. So, their participation in the All-Star Game was beyond expected, as the two were voted as starters for their respective teams.
Shaquille O’Neal once planted a loving kiss on Tracy McGrady’s head in the 2007 All-Star Game
Over the years, Shaquille O’Neal has shown that he is no stranger to doing bizarre things. Being one of the most entertaining celebrities in the world, he has done some bewildering things in his career. One particularly weird moment came in the 2007 All-Star Game. Despite having missed a dunk, Shaq received a pass from Richard Hamilton.
Rising up once more, this time, he made no mistake and slammed it down with authority. However, what was so weird about that sequence came after he landed. Following the dunk, The Big Aristotle grabbed Tracy McGrady, pulled him in, and planted a kiss on his head. Safe to say, everyone was left confused, especially T-Mac who requested that Shaq stop kissing people.
As for the game itself, both Shaq and T-Mac took somewhat of a backseat. O’Neal ended the game with a measly 10 points, six rebounds, and one assist, while McGrady only managed eight points and three rebounds. However, he did register 11 assists.
Nevertheless, in terms of team performance, they were both integral. But, it was McGrady and the West that came out on top. It was also Shaq’s former teammate, Kobe Bryant, who took home the MVP award with an exceptional performance, scoring 31 points, grabbing five rebounds, and dishing out six assists, while also recording six steals.
Shaq once admitted that T-Mac is far more handsome than he is
There can be no denying that Shaquille O’Neal kissing Tracy McGrady on the head was weird. However, there is a reason behind his actions, and that reason is simple, T-Mac is a handsome guy. Years after the incident, one fan tweeted out about how Shaq was looking good on the set of Inside the NBA.
Unfortunately for the Big Diesel, this was a troll, as he was not present on set that day and was instead replaced by T-Mac. A while later, he questioned himself wondering if he was “pretty”. In other words, he admitted that McGrady was far better-looking than he was.
At the end of the day, concepts like beauty, handsomeness, and prettiness are subjective. And, Shaq, although he probably didn’t feel it at the time, was and is not only a handsome man but a beautiful soul as well.
