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Shaq surprises family in Home Depot, buys them new washer and dryer

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby:Grant Grubbs•06/15/23•

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Photo by Megan Briggs | Getty Images

Good luck finding someone who doesn’t like Shaquille O’Neal. The NBA Hall of Famer just gave us another reason to admire him.

O’Neal recently took a visit to Home Depot. While there, the 7-foot-1 NBA legend bought new washer and dryer for an unsuspecting pair of women. O’Neal’s offer was immediately met with excited screams, selfies and endless laughter.

O’Neal also greeted an elated father and son in the video, picking up the son and swinging him back-and-forth like a baby. When you’re Shaq, that’s life. O’Neal wasn’t only there to perform kind deeds. The 15-time NBA All Star also recorded a music video while strolling down the aisles of Home Depot.

While O’Neal ultimately found himself acting out of kindness at the home improvement store, not all his fans believed he initially had such kind-hearted intent. This past week, O’Neal got exposed online for messaging viral influence Ariana Josephine, a.k.a. “Home Depot Girl.”

“Don’t let them [people] bother [you],” O’Neal wrote to Josephine, according to screenshots from Legion Hoops. “Don’t read the comments stuff like that will drive you crazy. Have a great day tell all your boyfriends I said hello lol.”

Although Josephine alleged O’Neal was simply being kind, some online users believed the 51-year-old had other thoughts in mind. No matter what O’Neal’s intent was at Home Depot, he ended up making a group of people’s day at the store.

This isn’t the first time O’Neal has been seen saving strangers some cash. From buying kids’ bikes to a man’s engagement ring, O’Neal is constantly spreading his wealth. In an interview with TNT, Shaq said, “Whenever I go to the store from now on, I’m buying somebody else something.”

O’Neal certainly isn’t going to miss the money. The “Inside the NBA” co-host has an estimated $400 million net worth, per ClutchPoints. As of 2022, O’Neal has owned and sold 155 Five Guys Burgers restaurants, totaling 10% of the company’s entire franchise portfolio.

The four-time NBA champion also owns 17 Auntie Anne’s Pretzels restaurants and nine Papa John’s franchise units. In fact, O’Neal also is a brand ambassador for Papa John’s and has been on the company’s board of directors since 2019.

For Shaq, his generous habits are just a benefit of his business success.

“A lot of people describe it as giving back. I describe it as doing what you’re supposed to do. You’re supposed to help those in need,” O’Neal told PEOPLE in 2021. “If I’m somewhere and see somebody’s needing something, I’ll take care of it.”