For decades, we have just seen how Shaq smokes everyone who has ever tried challenging him. But well, besides on-court antiques, Shaquille O’Neal has never really hidden his love for hookah. Over the years, fans have seen him light up, even sharing cigars with the late Kobe Bryant. But not everyone knows he once joked to his kids that hookah was his “asthma treatment.” On an old episode of The Big Podcast, he explained how he’d puff away in private, telling his children, “When you see Daddy on the asthma machine, don’t come to my office.” That moment gave fans both a laugh and a look into his personal habits. And he has kept this habit of his over the years.

Just last month, Shaq’s lifestyle took center stage again. While visiting San Antonio during Final Four Weekend, he didn’t shy away from sharing his go-to hangouts. In a candid clip posted online, Shaq casually listed “Eisenhower Flea Market, the quarry, the Riverwalk, of course, Mamas, a couple hookah bars.” His choices felt more like a comfort routine than vacation spots. The fact that hookah bars made the list again? That just confirmed how deeply rooted his habit has become over time. Things got more personal on a recent Big Podcast episode when Shaq admitted, “I smoke… hookah.” But during his days?

Shaquille O’Neal once again made it clear; his choice of habit is hookah only, and he has stayed away from other recreational drugs like C*******. But he did admit to seeing other players use it. In his words, “Every team I was on, I saw it, but I never took part when I was playing.” Then he revealed something few fans knew: NBA players had a built-in loophole. “They take four tests. And then after the fourth test, they can’t test you anymore.” That meant if players held off until after test number four, there were no consequences. Had they been caught before that? Suspensions or fines were likely, depending on team policies and league guidelines at the time.

Well, he wasn’t the only one who shared such an experience. Even NFL legend Calvin Johnson chimed in, offering a glimpse into football’s side of things. He estimated, “At least 80% of the NFL has used c*******.” Johnson explained, “Guys was really trying to find a better way, a more natural way to heal.” He even pointed out that back in the day, players used college basketball’s championship date as a mental cutoff. “Usually like a month before [420], it’s probably a good cutoff point,” he added, suggesting players would stop to avoid positive tests as training camp neared.

Well, while Shaq remains firm in his stance on cannabis, just last year, he found himself surrounded by suspicion.

How Shaquille O’Neal and Paul Pierce sparked an online conspiracy last year

It happened last year at TD Garden in Boston—Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Cameras caught Shaquille O’Neal and Paul Pierce sitting courtside, looking a little… off. Shaq was rocking his usual oversized sunglasses. Pierce, on the other hand, looked tense and oddly focused. Within hours, the internet did what it always does—zoomed in, clipped the moment, and jumped to conclusions.

Rumors spread quickly. Fans started asking if the two legends had taken cannabis edibles before the game. This led a lot of them to share their guesses that the duo was potentially using substances like edibles while enjoying the game. The clip gained even more steam when podcaster Travonne Edwards posted a screenshot of the moment with the caption, “this edible ain’t s—.” Suddenly, what was just a courtside appearance turned into a trending topic.

Shaquille O’Neal wasn’t having any of it. The very next day, he fired back online. On X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “Shaq don’t do edibles you dummy, stop tryna get noticed with dumb a** tweets.” He wasn’t done there. Shaq doubled down with, “I’m in sunglasses cause I’m shining dummy, everybody knows I’m a hookah man.” One user even joked back, saying Pierce should’ve borrowed a pair of shades too.

Well, while the truth remains unsure, Shaq still maintains the stance of just being into hookah and nothing else. For fans, their chemistry is still gold—even when it stirs up hilarious courtside conspiracy theories.