When Shaquille O'Neal was accused of battery after he offered help to stranger: "I was just playing, can't you take a joke?"
NBA star Shaquille O'Neal once faced a battery complaint after he was accused of grabbing a woman by the neck inside the premises of the Disney World resort in 1998.
It was October, and the 1998-99 season, his third with the LA Lakers, hadn't started. O'Neal used to play for the Orlando Magic and still had a house in the city, which is why he was in the area when the incident happened. He was enjoying some time off during the offseason and tried to joke around with a stranger, but was met with trouble.
Based on past reports, the woman who filed charges against the All-Star center was Kim Grant. At the time, she was a 23-year-old employee who didn't back down and pushed through with her accusations.
According to Grant, O'Neal initiated the conversation with her. She was stationed outside of Disney's Pleasure Island when the four-time champion and his company approached her. She mentioned in her complaint that Shaq and his friends told her that they were "going to look for girls."
Grant responded to O'Neal by saying, "Be my guest." After that, the Lakers legend allegedly grabbed her by the neck and pulled her closer to him. This is what Shaq told Grant:
"I was just playing. Can't you take a joke?"
This wasn't O'Neal's first incident of being accused of physical harm. In 2014, he became the subject of an open assault investigation. Dennis Roach, Shaq's attorney, released a statement that helped the former NBA star's reputation.
BREAKING: Shaquille O'Neal is under police investigation for altercation at TNT studios
"We understand that the physical attack by Shaquille O'Neal upon Mr. Robert Williams is under criminal investigation. Mr. Williams is presently recovering after surgery," Roach said. "However, he does state, emphatically, that the permanent injuries he received were not the result of participation in any form of 'horseplay.'"
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Today marks the 15th year since the Miami Heat traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Phoenix Suns
Shaquille O'Neal is a man with many nicknames. When the MVP center was traded to the Phoenix Suns by the Miami Heat, he earned another nickname, Big Shaqtus. He also received his last All-Star selection while with the Suns in the 2008-09 season, winning the All-Star game MVP award alongside Kobe Bryant.
Shaq only stayed with Phoenix for a season and a half before getting traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. O'Neal averaged 17.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in his lone full season with the Suns. He also played 75 games that season, which was the most since his 2006 championship season with the Heat.
15 years ago today! Shaquille O'Neal was traded from the Miami Heat to the Phoenix Suns. 👏 https://t.co/Mtl6wwdi1b
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