Watch: “I can’t let you see my secret potion” - Throwback to Shaq hilariously mixing a soft drink with his energy drink and hiding it from the cameras, behind the scenes at the 2005 NBA All-Star Game
Shaquille O’Neal’s “secret potion” was revealed to the public Wednesday.
The NBA posted a YouTube short, equivalent to a small reel posted online, that included a throwback video of "The Big Diesel" before the 2005 All-Star Game.
Shaq hilariously shows off his secret potion
In the video, O'Neal jokingly says:
“I can’t let you see my secret potion.”
The “Big Diesel” then laughs mischievously and continues to parade an accent to show he is simply joking.
The secret potion must have worked. Allen Iverson and Jermaine O’Neal led the Eastern Conference with 15 points each. Dwyane Wade added 14 points, LeBron James 13 and "The Big Diesel" 12.
O’Neal averaged 22.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists and 2.3 blocks per game in 73 games in 2004-05. Those statistics helped him be selected for his twelfth All-Star game.
O'Neal averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in his career, which totaled 1,207 games.
The 7-foot-1, 325-pound center played for six teams over his 19 seasons. "The Big Diesel" won four NBA championships after being drafted first overall out of Louisiana State University in 1992.
In his first year in the league, he rose to being one of the best centers, winning Rookie of the Year for 1992-93 with the Orlando Magic. O'Neal led the LA Lakers to three consecutive championships (2000-2002). After tensions between O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in 2004, O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat. There, “The Big Diesel” brought a championship to his new team in 2006.
Shaquille later played for the Phoenix Suns (2007-8), and the Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10) before retiring from the Boston Celtics after playing there in 2010-11.
O'Neal and his secret potion made giant waves in the league. He gained awards like the 1999-2000 MVP, three All-Star Game MVPs, three Finals MVPs, two scoring titles, 15 All-Star selections, 14 All-NBA selections and three NBA All-Defensive selections.
He remains one of three players to win an MVP, All-Star Game MVP and Finals MVP in the same year (2000). The others are Willis Reed in 1970 and Michael Jordan in both 1996 and 1998.
"The Big Diesel" was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017. He was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary team in 2021. O'Neal must have something extra special in that secret potion of his.