Shaquille O’Neal Says Gorillas at the Zoo Think He’s One of Them: “What am I Doing In Here and You Out There. They always go crazy when they see me outside”

Published 01/27/2022, 4:30 PM EST

Among some of the NBA’s former stars, Shaquille O’Neal often stands out. in-law has made a name for himself in the media world as well, after his retirement from the NBA. He often remains in the media’s spotlight because of his active media presence. O’Neal recently revealed that gorillas at zoos think of him as one of their own.

O’Neal admitted that when he visited a zoo, gorillas looked at him in a bizarre manner. By O’Neal’s own admission, they attempted to suggest that he belonged with them. He also disclosed that he had visited all the zoos in the world, at which point his co-host laughed at him, refusing to believe his wild story. O’Neal then proceeded to call the director of the Miami Zoo to prove his point.

O’Neal said, “Hey, true story, I promise you. I went to every zoo in the world. I’ve been to every zoo in the world. And every time I go to the gorilla section, they look at me like, ‘Hey man, where your fur at?’ Nah, for real, for real. That’s how they look at me.”

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He further said, “And then they also look at me like, ‘Hey, what am I doing in here and you out there?’ Then they always go crazy when they see me outside. I promise you. I promise you.”

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O’Neal revealed all these details in ‘The Big Podcast with Shaq’.

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Shaquille O’Neal and his love for tigers

Shaquille O’Neal has previously clarified his love for tigers. In 2005, while playing for the Miami Heat, he bought two rare white tiger cubs. The two tigers are now fully grown adults who live on a farm in Florida. According to reports, O’Neal also sponsors two clubs and owns a ‘liger’, which is a mixed breed between a tiger and a lion.

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He has often shown off his knowledge during interviews about tigers. Once sharing a fact with the Los Angeles Times in 2001, O’Neal said, “Tigers are not in Africa. Tigers are in Siberia and India.” Considering the ferocity of tigers in the wild, it is not surprising then that O’Neal showed the same ferocity while playing in NBA games.

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Shalom Saldanha is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Currently pursuing his journalism degree, he has previously worked as a sports corresspondent for India Shorts/Business Upturn. A Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bucks fan, Shalom primarily got into the sport after discovering that he shared a mutual love for Arsenal with the 'Greek Freak'.

Shaquille O’Neal Says Gorillas at the Zoo Think He’s One of Them: “What am I Doing In Here and You Out There. They always go crazy when they see me outside”

Shaquille O’Neal and his love for tigers

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