Few athletes in the world are as giving as Shaquille O’Neal, a man who became rich by being one of the best in the NBA and continued to build his fortune even after hanging up his boots. The Diesel proved his charitable side once again with his latest act of generosity, this time alongside WNBA star Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings.
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The basketball duo recently donated funds to help renovate a court in Rockwall County, Texas, in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club. The project was aimed at inspiring the next generation of players in underserved communities.
For Shaq, this meant a lot, especially since he lives in Rockwall. He saw how bad the court was near the place he calls home, which is why he decided to pay for its improvement, and wants to go further by doing more.
“I live here in Rockwall. This is an area where we come from,” said Shaq during an interview with CBS Texas. “The court was pretty messed up, so we’re going to be doing a lot of this stuff in this area. We just want to give em somewhere to come out and just play.”
Shaq owns homes all over Texas. The Lone Star State is his home, so he’ll do whatever he can to make it better. The same can be said for Ogunbowale. She told CBS that partnering up with Diesel was a “no-brainer.” “This is like my second home,” said the 28-year-old star. “I’ve been here my whole career. So, of course, this initiative with Icy Hot and Shaq was a no-brainer. Just to give back to the youth that pours into us.”
This isn’t just a front from O’Neal because he happens to live there. He genuinely loves the area, according to what he told WFAA in an interview about Dallas a couple of weeks ago. “I’m 75% gonna move here full time,” he said about the Big D. “I have to see what’s going on with TNT next year, but based upon that, you’ll probably be seeing a lot more of me. People in Dallas have been very nice. I know about the Texas culture, but Dallas has been good to me.”
It’s not just refurbishing courts in Texas that Shaq cares about. The Hall of Famer did a similar project in Newark, New Jersey, his old hometown. It just goes to show that even though O’Neal might still enjoy the occasional doo-doo prank, his heart is as golden as his old Lakers uniform.
Shaq’s generosity isn’t just about the money. It’s about heart, presence, and intention. Whether he’s buying a family new appliances or paying for a stranger’s engagement ring, he does it with a grin and zero need for praise. You get the sense that helping people is simply part of who he is, not some PR move.
At the end of the day, Shaq O’Neal’s legacy might be measured in rings, but his impact goes far beyond the court.
