Fans are concerned after former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal shared a photo of himself from a hospital bed without explanation. “I’m always watching [Ernie Johnson] and [Candace Parker]. Miss y’all,” he tweeted with the image yesterday (March 19).
The trio are co-hosts for “NBA on TNT.” Parker, a WNBA player for the Las Vegas Aces, retweeted his message, adding, “Love ya, big fella.” Johnson has not publicly responded, but it’s possible the two could have already spoken privately. However, neither gave insight to what was going on. “What the hell [happened] to Shaq?” one person tweeted in response to the photo of him lying in a hospital bed with his eyes closed and tubes attached to his body.
As of today (March 20), Shaq’s post has received thousands of responses. Former NBA player and two-time NBA All-Star Roy Hibbert was among the sea of supporters hoping for the best. “[You] good, big man?” he asked. Another individual wrote, “Prayers up for the best center of all time.” Off the court, the Newark, New Jersey native is known for his over-the-top, playful personality and happy disposition. Since his 2011 NBA retirement, the former Lakers frontman has spent time as a sportscaster, where he’s often seen playing pranks on his co-hosts. His antics with Charles Barkley almost always go viral.
In 1996, O’Neal starred as a magical genie named Kazaam in a feature film of the same title, who granted a troubled kid three wishes. Later, in a 2012 interview with GQ, he shared how he related to the project. “I was a medium-level juvenile delinquent from Newark who always dreamed about doing a movie,” Shaq said in part. When he’s not on TV, he keeps the party going as DJ Diesel. On March 6, the sports living legend turned 51 years old. That weekend, he celebrated by throwing a “Sneaker Ball” birthday bash in Atlanta.
Here’s to a speedy recovery!