Ginormous NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal incited speculation and concern when he posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed with a phalanx of tubes sticking out of his arms.
The man who can practically cause a solar eclipse because of his immense frame at 7-foot-1 and 325 pounds informed his fans that he still watches fellow “Inside the NBA” co-hosts Ernie Johnson and Candace Parker from his hospital bed.
i’m always watching @TurnerSportsEJ and @Candace_Parker miss y’all pic.twitter.com/4tY4X6v1Pj
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) March 19, 2023
Johnson explained during the latest broadcast on TNT that the man universally known as “Shaq” is undergoing hip replacement surgery.
EJ said in the NCAA Tournament studio that Shaq is undergoing a hip replacement. https://t.co/2r4gTv4Jvz
— Ken Fang — Very Asian With a Blue Checkmark (@fangsbites) March 20, 2023
At 51, speculation is that the cumulative time and immense weight have worn out one of the his hips.
In December 2022, the Los Angeles Lakers legend who won four NBA titles explained that he had ballooned to over 400 pounds until a buddy bluntly called him “fat.” He then altered his diet and that helped him shed dozens of pounds.
“A friend of mine called me and said, ‘You’re fat,’ and she gave me this guy’s name, and he did some blood work,” he told “Entertainment Tonight.” “He was saying, ‘You can do this, you can’t do that, [eat] more vegetables, [your] iron’s low.’
“Once I just started changing those certain things, it dropped. It’s all about eating right.”
Scores of friends from the NBA and broadcasting worlds tapped in to check on the mammoth man and offer support:
U good big man?
— Roy Hibbert (@Roy_Meets_World) March 19, 2023
Get Well Big Fella,,
— Steve Smith (@steve21smith) March 20, 2023
Feel better please
— The Zeiger Firm (@ZeigerFirm) March 20, 2023
Love to the big man
— Adam Armbruster (@AdamonTV) March 20, 2023
