Shaquille O’Neal hits the gym hard to get rid of his ‘dad bod’ in premiere of basketball star’s new reality series Shaq Life
Shaquille O’Neal is getting into the reality TV game.
The 7-foot-1 superstar’s new reality docuseries, titled Shaq Life, premiered on TNT on Thursday night, following the star athlete as he juggles his post-NBA career, businesses, family, charities and budding alternative persona DJ Diesel.
Shaq, 48, kicked off the premiere episode by revealing that while he doesn’t feel required to stay super fit anymore, he does feel the need to work out to avoid getting a ‘dad body.’
Sizing up: Shaquille O’Neal kicked off the premiere episode of his reality series Shaq Life Thursday night by revealing that he feels the need to work out to avoid getting a ‘dad body’. He recruited personal trainer Roc Shabazz to help him get in shape
Working hard: The father-of-six grimaced during the intense fitness session
In one interlude in the show, he even lamented he doesn’t want to let his stomach hang over the waistband of his trousers.
In 2018, O’Neal revealed to Muscle & Fitness Magazine that he ‘never hit the gym’ during his NBA playing days, saying he got ‘beat up during the season’ and ‘was too tired to waste energy lifting weights.’
Now for his new series, the cameras followed the father-of-six into the gym, where he met up with his personal trainer Roc Shabazz for a sweaty and intense workout.
Shaquille is seen working hard and to his absolute limit in order to try and transform his body and stay fit.
Driven: Shaquille is seen working hard and to his absolute limit in order to try and transform his body and stay fit
Feeling the burn: In one interlude in the show, he even lamented he doesn’t want to let his stomach hang over the waistband of his trousers
The show also follows Shaq to Las Vegas where he performed a set as DJ Diesel, showcasing one of the star’s passions outside of basketball.
There are also plenty of family moments in the show, as he attended daughter Taahirah’s graduation ceremony and also goes along to his other daughters Me’arah’s and Mimi’s basketball game to cheer them along.
Shaq is also father to sons Shareef, Shaqir and Myles, who along with Me’arah and Mimi he shares with ex-wife Shaunie O’Neal.
He’s a DJ too: The show also follows Shaq to Las Vegas where he performed a set as DJ Diesel, showcasing one of the star’s passions outside of basketball
Family man: There are also plenty of family moments in the show; Shaq seen here with his six beautiful offspring
Taahirah is Shaquille’s daughter with Arnetta Yardbourgh.
Shaq’s generous side is also shown in Shaq Life, as he is seen helping out a young student named Zack Keith who is struggling to find shoes to fit his massive size 18 feet and can’t afford specially made sneakers.
Shaq – who himself wears a gargantuan size 22 shoe – met Zack and his mother Brittany at his favorite shoe store and shelled out $6,843.28 on several pairs of shoes for the grateful teen.
O’Neal, a rival and friend of the late Kobe Bryant, played on the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 to 2004, as well as a total of five other teams over his 19-year NBA career.
Shaq Life, with episodes narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, airs Thursdays at 9 pm/8 pm central time on TNT.
Proud dad: In the Shaq Life pilot, he is seen attending his daughter Taahirah’s graduation
Giving back: Shaq’s generous side is also shown in Shaq Life, as he is seen helping out a young student named Zack Keith who is struggling to afford custom-made shoes for his big feet
Champion: O’Neal, a rival and friend of the late Kobe Bryant, played on the LA Lakers from 1996 to 2004, as well as a total of five other teams over his 19-year career; seen here with Bryant in 2002
Shaq Life airs Thursdays at 9 pm/8 pm central time on TNT