Shaquille O’Neal is revealing some shocking news as Election Day approaches. On Wednesday, Oct. 8, the 15-time NBA All-Star disclosed in an episode of “The Big Podcast with Shaq” that this year he is voting for the first time.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have a confession. I’m honest, I’ve never voted in my life. This is my first time voting. I’ve never voted before, America,” he confessed.
Leaving his co-host stunned, O’Neal continued, “But now I’m doing all these voting campaigns, and ya’ know one thing I never like to do is be a hypocrite.”
The 48-year-old basketball legend went on to say he felt it wasn’t right to start his #MyStartingFive challenge without going to the polls himself. Shaq partnered up with Boston Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum to start the #MyStartingFive initiative, which is meant to encourage people to register to vote for next month’s election. The mission of the participants is to remind at least five people on their social medias to go out and vote.
O’Neal added, “So the other day, I got my absentee ballot — in other words, America, I voted for the first time, and it feels good.”
O’Neal’s podcast co-host John Kincade asked the four-time NBA champion why he waited until now to vote. O’Neal’s answer was classic Shaq: “I’ve never understood the Electoral College system.”
Kincade responded, “You’re going to get buried for this. I’m glad you voted, though. That’s awesome. You were very honest there.”
Game 1 of the NBA Finals took place Sept. 30, and O’Neal made a virtual appearance at the game to support his two former teams the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat. Interestingly, for someone who’d previously been uninterested in politics, O’Neal was virtually seated during the game next to former President Barack Obama, whom Shaq calls a friend.
Election Day is Nov 3.
