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“Asthma Treatment”: Hiding 15 Year Addiction From His Children, Shaquille O’Neal Confesses Kids Asked Him “Daddy What’s That” and He Lied

Published 03/12/2023, 9:50 AM EDT
By
Ishpreet Kaur

via Getty

Shaquille O’Neal is known to have fun and goof around on the set of Inside the NBA. His pranks on staff members and ex-colleagues such as Charles Barkley are always entertaining. But Shaquille likes this fun and relaxed environment everywhere and not just at work! The former star player is known to indulge in hookah religiously. Other than Barkey, Kenny Smith has also shared some anecdotes from Shaq’s early years on the studio sets.

The four-time NBA champion is known to do the unexpected and surprise people around him. Charles Barkley revealed how once after the show, Shaq just wanted a place for him and the other hosts to wind down after the show.

NBA icon purchased a hookah lounge just to chill

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Barkley shared in an interview, “Shaq really doesn’t drink, so when we get off work at 1:30 in the morning, we always have to go have a couple drinks because we’re so wired” and because the Deisel does not like drinking, he came in one day and said he solved his after-work problem. Upon asking Shaq revealed he purchased a hookah lounge just so they all have a place to go after work to relax together. 

via Imago

 
Shaquille has not only been one of the greatest players in the NBA but he is also an endearing human outside the game. He has six kids and has always tried to raise them right, even if it was hard for him to give up a few things. Recently on the Big Podcast, in conversation with Nischelle Turner, the former player revealed some secrets. 

Read More: Amid Aaron Rodgers’ Suspicious Disappearance, Charles Barkley Thinks Shaquille O’Neal Could Be Next Only if 1 Thing Happens

Co-host Nischelle teased him about possibly turning an entire association building into a hookah lounge if he were ever to head one! Shaq instantly corrected her by saying “first of all it’s not a hookah lounge, it’s an asthma lounge. I don’t smoke hookah I do asthma treatments every day.”
While this response garnered laughter from his fellow panelists, O’Neal went down memory lane.

Shaquille O’Neal confesses to doing hookah since 2008

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The father of six said, “I remember when I first started indulging in hookah, my kids would go, ‘Daddy what’s that?’ I’d be like, ‘That’s my asthma treatment.’ When you see daddy on the asthma machine, don’t come to my office. They say, ‘Yes sir.’”  
 
WATCH THIS STORY: Shaquille o’ Neal Getting Slapped by Kevin Hart in the Head at the Super Bowl and Other Rib Tickling Moments From the Duo

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While this was over a decade ago when the kids were still young impressionable minds, Shaquille O’Neal’s little lie surely won’t fly with them now!

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Ishpreet Kaur

15 articles

Ishpreet Kaur is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Arts, focused on Psychology and English, from the University of British Columbia. As a proud Canadian, Ishpreet is a big fan of the Toronto Raptors.
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Edited By: Aayush Kapoor

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