After you’ve jetsetted around the globe as much as Shaquille O’Neal, some places are bound to leave a mark. Abu Dhabi has become his home away from home ever since he first experienced the place. Shaq has always touted the respectful ambience of the UAE capital as the biggest appeal. Over the years, he’s returned there for work mixed with R&R. His recent trip was eventful to say the least and he had stories to dish about it on The Big Podcast.

The attraction of Abu Dhabi is so strong, Shaq said, “If I was 10 years younger, I would definitely move over there.” That hasn’t stopped him from seizing every opportunity to visit. He was there in March and enjoyed his time on a luxurious boat. “Enjoying my 2nd home, Abu Dhabi,” he said on Instagram.

Shaq told Lefkoe that work brought him to Abu Dhabi. He’s filmed about five commercials in the UAE. He also didn’t skip the Abu Dhabi leg of recent NBA seasons. The culture there grew on him instantly. Even though he’s recognized there, he’s never swarmed. He’s always approached respectfully and brought him back over and over.

He goes out to the mall, movies, and the hookah bars there. He’s also seen Ramadan festivities there. Shaq would not exactly leave his family behind in the USA to move to another continent. But he’ll return to the place over and over and have updates to share from it with his 32 million Instagram followers.

Shaquille O’Neal does his bit for Abu Dhabi

In March, Shaq shared his peaceful time on a boat in Abu Dhabi. But on the podcast, he told Lefkoe he nearly got into figurative ‘hot waters.’ He was so entranced by the calm sea, that he nearly crossed international borders into Iran. But local authorities saved him from dire consequences.

He’s enjoyed much calmer escapades in Abu Dhabi before. He was excited when his favorite Hollywood star, Tom Cruise, brought Mission Impossible to the city. O’Neal also collaborated with the local tourism board to film a promotional video for the city. He also produced a documentary on Abu Dhabi.

The 4x NBA Champion will never have enough praise for the general civility and cordiality in their culture. Even a near gaffe with international authorities won’t keep him away.

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