"I've never been a gambler" - Shaquille O'Neal reveals winning a Maybach by betting on his least notable trait
When it comes to shooting three-point shots, someone better not bet their life on Shaquille O'Neal making one. However, on a lucky day, the same three-point shot, something that Shaq only made once in his 19-year NBA career, earned him big money.
Earlier today (July 26), on his "The Big Podcast," the four-time NBA champion revealed that he won a Mercedes Maybach in a three-point bet with a rich friend. He also mentioned that he had put his Rolls-Royce Cullinan on the line in the bet.
“I have never been really a gambler, but the biggest bet I had was I bet a guy one time, one of my rich friends that I could get his Maybach if I hit a three. And if I missed the three, he could have my Cullinan,” Shaq said.
The LA Lakers legend made the only three-point shot of his career during the 1995-96 season against the Milwaukee Bucks. Shaq was also bad at shooting free throws, but not equally so.
However, his weaknesses didn't deter the NBA legend from dominating the league. Only a few seasons after being drafted, O'Neal became one of the most feared players in the league. In his illustrious 19-year career, Shaquille O'Neal established himself as arguably the most dominant player in NBA history.
Shaquille O'Neal pays Jamal Crawford with Shaq money after losing a bet
Shaquille O'Neal is a hilarious dude and that can sometimes become a disappointing for others. The same thing happened to former NBA player Jamal Crawford, who also played for the Phoenix Suns. Earlier in March, when the Denver Nuggets faced the Suns in a regular season game, Crawford made a bet with Shaq about the outcome.
Crawford said he would put $1000 on every $10,000 by Shaq. O'Neal went a step further and bet a million dollars that the Nuggets would win the game. Too bad for the NBA legend, he lost the bet. But Shaq had other plans for making the payment.
The next business day, he showed up with a box full of cash to make his payment and Crawford’s eyes lit up. Showering compliments on Shaq, Crawford said:
“Aeyyy! A man of his word. Paying before his birthday.”
However, when the dollar notes reached Crawford, he couldn’t believe his eyes. He didn’t say anything and froze. Then, he started throwing the money back at O’Neal. In response, Shaq said that he had promised a million dollars, not “a million real dollars.”