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Apart from being one of the greatest NBA players ever, Shaquille O’Neal is a millionaire, a popular media analyst, and also a DJ. A little-known fact about Shaq is his career as a cop.

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O’Neal always aspired to become a cop and he is a certified Sherriff! Interestingly enough, he sometimes used his cop training to have a little fun with his teammates and friends. However, sometimes it turned ugly.

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In one instance, legendary Lakers trainer Gary Vitti was gravely injured when Shaq pulled off a dirty trick on him. Due to his antics, Vitti was unable to walk and had to take 2 injections.

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Shaquille O’Neal once gravely injured Lakers trainer

7-foot-1 inches tall Shaquille O’Neal was a force to reckon with on the basketball court. It seems the same applies off the court as well. In the recently released ‘Shaq‘ documentary, Los Angeles Lakers trainer Gary Vitti talked about how O’Neal injured him once.

Shaq once randomly started frisking Vitti in policeman style in front of everyone. This continued for a while and Vitti had enough one morning. He rebelled and hit O’Neal when the Lakers superstar tried to continue with his usual frisking.

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Vitti’s punch wasn’t taken well by Shaq who hit the legendary trainer. As a result, he had to get 2 injections in order to even walk as Shaq’s punch hit him in the pelvis.

Vitti describes in a recent documentary about O’Neal, “And so he turned around and yelled to everybody in the training room, “he’s resisting arrest!” And he went to wind up to punch me, and I saw it coming so I turned, and he hit me right in the back of my pelvis. I had to get 2 injections to walk.”

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READ MORE: “He Was a Good Guy”: Shaquille O’Neal Joins Magic Johnson in Mourning Saddening Loss for Lakers Fans

There have been various instances when Shaq’s pranks on his teammates have not ended well. In most cases, it is the person being pranked who is on the wrong end of things.

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Shaq earns $1 yearly as a cop

During a private ceremony in 2005, Shaquille O’Neal was sworn in as a reserve officer with Miami Beach according to Bleacher Report. Interestingly enough, he would be earning just $1 yearly for his services!

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Despite his superstar status, he had to undergo regular tests in order to become a cop. He had to take psychological and physical tests as well as a background test.

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What is your favorite memory of Shaquille O’Neal? Let us know in the comments down below.

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Written by

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Abhinava Ghosh

1,823 Articles

Abhinava Ghosh is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports with a wealth of experience covering the league. He has written over 1400 articles for EssentiallySports, showcasing his expertise in analyzing and reporting on NBA trade rumors, injury updates, and the ever-changing dynamics of the league. He had successfully covered the entire Kevin Durant trade saga at Brooklyn, which led to the basketball legend’s move to the Desert. He also kept our readers updated on the Brittney Griner situation throughout her exile in Russia. One of Abhinava's proudest moments came in 2015 when the Golden State Warriors won the NBA title after 40 years. As a lifelong fan of the Dubs, Abhinava was thrilled to see his team reach the pinnacle of the sport, but he remained objective and professional in his reporting.

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Gideon Mathson

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