When Shaquille O’Neal Took His Taste in ‘Strange’ Cars to Another Level With $40,000 Purchase

Shaquille O’Neal made his bones in the NBA by slamming down dunks and winning championships. But the Diesel was also great at another skill: buying cars. The now 53-year-old basketball legend has a collection of over 40 vehicles ranging from Lamborghinis to rugged pick-up trucks. Shaq’s enthusiasm for cars knows no bounds, and it doesn’t appear that he’s planning on slowing down on his collecting either.

Every car that Shaq purchases gets completely customized due to his wide frame, long legs, and size 22 feet. The four-time NBA Champion’s taste has even expanded to some more bizarre vehicles like the Polaris Slingshot, which he obtained in 2017.

GQ Magazine referred to the Polaris as the “Sling-Shaq” when doing an exposé on the Diesel’s collection back in 2021. The three-wheeled whip has no windows or doors and was manufactured for Shaq in Alabama.

That’s not even the weirdest car that Shaq has ever owned. The 15-time All-Star famously had his Lamborghini Gallardo modified by cutting two cars in half and supergluing them together. The odd move cost the Shaq-Fu master $600,000. While most of the b-ball icon’s automobile expenses are entirely unique to him, Shaq’s other odd vehicle purchases actually became a celebrity trend.

Shaq’s weirdest car isn’t even a car at all

In 2018, Shaq snagged a Vanderhall Venice Roadster, a car that GQ called “America’s answer to the Morgan.” That said, it’s barely a car, but more of an autocycle.

Like the Polaris, the Vanderhall had three wheels, no windows, and no roof. It’s one of Shaq’s cheaper cars as he only purchased it for about $40,000, a much lower price than his most expensive: a Rolls-Royce Cullinan that he dropped $265,000 on.

Along with the Diesel, acclaimed actors Jeremy Renner and Jamie Foxx have a Vanerhall Venice Roadster, so the ride is clearly catching on. While Hawkeye and Foxx most likely didn’t need to have the whip as customized as Shaq did due to his large frame, they most definitely get to tout the enjoyment of sharing a commonality with the NBA legend.

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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