Former NBA star and NBA on TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal has always been a revered figure in the sports world. Wherever he goes, fans follow.
However, a recent incident led to a heated altercation between police officers and some fans waiting to meet Shaq at one of his Big Chicken restaurants.
On Wednesday, the Livingston County Police Department released footage of the incident last Friday where officers had to detain numerous people awaiting O’Neal’s appearance after they seemingly became agitated.
According to MLive, O’Neal’s appearance at the Big Chicken restaurant in Hartland, Michigan, the fast-food chicken chain that he founded, was not supposed to be a public meet-and-greet. However, his location was reportedly leaked, which led to a crowd of about 250-300 people showing up to potentially see the TNT star.
O’Neal’s public relations staff notified the police about the leak so officers were present at the restaurant.
Luckily, O’Neal was not harmed during this incident and he ended up meeting with some of the fans who showed up.
But it does point to just how big of a star he remains thanks to both his time in the NBA and his role on Inside the NBA.
O’Neal is approaching his final year on Inside the NBA after Warner Bros. Discovery lost out on the next round of NBA media rights this summer. He recently spoke about his role on the show, appearing hesitant to address what his plans might be if the show comes to an end.
“We have one more year left,” O’Neal said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show last month. “So I am a consummate professional, so I’m not going to go left or go right. I just know we’re going to do this year, and hopefully, something can be arranged after where the show continues. That’s all I’m at liberty to say right now.”
While this recent appearance from O’Neal didn’t quite go to plan, it should be a reminder to networks potentially looking to hire him after the 2024-25 NBA season. He remains a massive draw wherever he goes.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.