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I just like when I see older people, I’m like, ‘Damn! That’s going to be me one day.’ See, like right now, I you know, I say to myself all the time, I have seven summers left where I’m 60 years old. Seven summers.” Shaquille O’Neal, on his podcast with Mike Tyson, admitted to fearing growing old. He already has $500 million in net worth, and is a fantastic analyst, DJ, rapper, and apart from being an NBA icon. It seems his fear has transferred to fans, who are now questioning if everything is all right with the Big Aristotle.

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The concern for the Lakers legend started in a new video with Overtime. There, Shaq played the “Break the stick” game, where he had to break it if he heard a better player than LeBron James. The stick ultimately broke for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The list included names like Luka, Giannis, Tatum, and others. But instead of focusing on the analysis, the focus shifted towards O’Neal’s health.

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Even the 4x NBA champion was not slurring or needing any assistance to stand on his own. But still, fans could spot the eyes of the NBA icon, which were yellow. A similar case transpired with Michael Jordan last year. The Bulls legend was in attendance watching the Champions League in Monaco. But the close-up pictures from the event showed his yellow, glassy eyes. Naturally, the fans rushed with speculations, and the 6x NBA champion’s representative had to put out a statement to end it.

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“Mike is OK. He goes to the doctor; he is just getting older, and the recent pics are in no way or should be a reason for concern.” The unidentified source further said, “There is nothing wrong with him. Like everyone, we should get a little more exercise, and Mike enjoys the life he has made for himself, but there isn’t any hidden illness that he is dealing with.” The statement also had a promise from His Airness as he took it as a challenge to get healthier.

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For now, there is no statement from Shaquille O’Neal or from any close source about his health. After all, it’s been only a few hours since the netizens have commented worryingly about the Lakers legend’s health.

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Shaquille O’Neal previously delivered a health update, as fans now show concern

Playing in the league for 19 seasons comes at a price. During his time in the league, Shaq admitted to neglecting his family in order to focus on his career. But that focus also led him to neglect his health. The 53-year-old struggled with liver and kidney issues as a direct result of his playing career. So, a fan caringly commented, “Shaq needs to get his liver checked”. The 4x NBA champion first revealed in 2022 that he suffers from liver and kidney issues due to the painkillers he took decades ago.

Always says take one, I’m taking three. Oh, which is now my counts are low. I’m fixing everything now, but the liver and kidneys; real low because of that,” Shaq admitted recently on the Armchair Expert episode. So, fans were quick to spot, “Them eyes a lil yellow does“. It’s not that O’Neal was not aware of his pill popping activity, but he had to do it to fight the pain during his career.

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I had to take it. I had to take a club sandwich, fries, two pills, wake up.” Despite his previous admission, the fans today can’t believe that the NBA icon could suffer from any such health problems. “Why is bro looking like that.”

In fact, one fan commented to check if everybody else too spotted ‘yellow eyes’. “shaq eyes yellow or im trippin“. But Shaquille O’Neal, during his Armchair Expert video, made a promise to keep his health in check. “So, I’m going to try to get up to eight pack by the end of the summer cuz like I usually work and then take the summer off and just do whatever. But, you know, I have to change my routine. Trying to get my championship mental focus back. Was really out of shape and started having some health problems. But now I’m starting to get back on track.”

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This admission, ideally, should put any questions from the fans about his health to rest. “he got jaundice or sumn?” Just like the Michael Jordan thing didn’t turn out to be serious, everybody is hoping that it’s still the same with Shaq. With his already admitted about getting better than that, it also reduces the fan pressure. Now, we have to wait for a representative of the Lakers legend to comment on this to truly understand the real-time health update.

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Pranav Kotai

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Pranav Kotai is an editor at EssentiallySports, specializing in basketball coverage with a focus on trade dynamics and front-office decision-making. Having previously worked on the Trade Desk vertical, he brought clarity to how salary cap pressures and roster needs shape NBA transactions. His insightful coverage of the Philadelphia 76ers’ decision to hold firm on Joel Embiid amid trade speculation highlights how market context and team strategy influence major roster moves. Before joining EssentiallySports, Pranav holds experience of skills in professional writing, editorial work, and digital content creation. He holds a postgraduate diploma in digital media from a reputed institute, where he mastered the tools to create engaging and credible content across various platforms. Known for his attention to detail, proficiency in storytelling, and editorial expertise, Pranav combines deep basketball knowledge with sharp analytical abilities to deliver clear, insightful perspectives on the complexities of NBA trades and team management.

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Geisha Pulimoottil Don

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