$500 million-worth Shaquille O'Neal points out hilarious reason behind paying $1,000 for pedicures - “I feel sorry for the young lady”

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal recently expanded on his reasoning for regularly overpaying for pedicures, comically expressing sympathy for those involved.

O'Neal initially spoke about his expensive pedicure habit on "The Big Podcast with Shaq" earlier this year. The 7-foot-1 big man, who's worth an estimated $500 million (according to Celebrity Net Worth), said he "gives about $1,000" per pedicure. He attributed the choice to compensating for his massive size 22 feet being "stinky" and "ugly."

Numerous publications, including People, covered the four-time NBA champion's comments in early May.

During O'Neal's Wednesday appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," show host Jimmy Fallon referenced People's article. Fallon confirmed that O'Neal pays $1,000 per pedicure before asking him, "Why is it that expensive?"

O'Neal reiterated his apparent embarrassment about the condition of his feet, taking a humorous shot at his TNT co-host Charles Barkley.

"Because I feel sorry for the young lady that's doing my feet. I really do," O'Neal said. "I don't know how much she makes, [but] my feet look like Charles Barkley's face."

Per multiple sources, basic pedicures typically cost between $20 to $100. So, O'Neal is likely overpaying by at least 10 to 50 times. However, given the one-time MVP's vast net worth, the significant expenditure appears to be worth the accompanying peace of mind.

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Shaquille O'Neal on when he started getting pedicures

In his aforementioned interview with Jimmy Fallon, Shaquille O'Neal touched on the origin of his pedicure routine.

O'Neal harkened back to a time he suffered a toe injury during his basketball career, crediting his mother Lucille O'Neal for inspiring his footcare practice. The Hall of Famer quipped that the routine improved his on-court production, leading him to adopt getting pedicures as a regular habit.

"One time I had a toe injury, and my mother put nail polish on it, and I had 40 points," O'Neal said. "So, then when I colored all the rest of my toes, I was averaging 40 points for the season. So, I was like, 'You know what? I'ma just start painting my toes.'"

It's unclear which season O'Neal was referencing, as he never averaged more than 29.7 points per game over his 19-year NBA career. However, he reportedly dealt with toe discomfort at various points, undergoing surgery on his arthritic right big toe in 2002.

The 15-time All-Star showcased his seemingly deformed right big toe during a 2017 TNT appearance, garnering widespread disbelief on social media.

Thus, most people familiar with the condition of O'Neal's feet probably aren't too surprised with his decision to shell out for regular pedicures.

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