Big Shaq’s Stand for Justice
Shaquille O’Neal, affectionately known as Big Shaq, walked into his luxury watch store in SoHo one sunny afternoon, unaware that his day was about to take an unexpected turn. The store was bustling with energy, customers milling about, admiring the exquisite timepieces that adorned the glass displays. Shaq had always loved this store; it was a symbol of his hard work and determination, a place where he had built his empire from the ground up.
Today, however, he wasn’t there as the CEO. Dressed casually in a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers, he blended in with the crowd, wanting to experience his store through the eyes of a regular customer. He hoped to discover what it felt like to walk through the doors without the weight of his title.
As he made his way toward the watch section, admiring the craftsmanship of his products, a sharp voice cut through the polished atmosphere. “Excuse me, sir, but you can’t be in here.” Shaq turned to see a tall, stiff-looking man in a suit—Bradley Carter, the store manager—standing before him with arms crossed and an expression of suspicion.
“Sorry, what?” Shaq replied, eyebrows raised in confusion.
Bradley gave a slow, exaggerated look up and down at Shaq’s outfit, his lip curling slightly. “We have a strict policy against loitering. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
A few nearby customers turned their heads, sensing the tension. Shaq let out a small chuckle, trying to diffuse the situation. “Loitering? Man, I was just looking around.”
Bradley took a step closer, lowering his voice but maintaining a condescending tone. “I don’t think you can afford anything in here. If you’re not buying, you need to leave.”
Silence stretched between them, and Shaq felt the familiar heat of anger bubbling beneath his skin. He had faced discrimination before, but this was different. He forced himself to stay calm. “You sure you want to do this?”
Shaq stared at him for a long second, then slowly turned and made his way toward the exit. The weight of every gaze in the store pressed against his back as he stepped onto the busy street. The cold air hit him, but it did nothing to cool the frustration burning in his chest. He had built this place, and yet in his own store, he had just been reduced to nothing more than an unwelcome visitor.
As he walked away, he shook his head, knowing that Bradley had no idea what was coming.
The next morning, the atmosphere in the store was different. Employees bustled about, arranging displays and restocking shelves, but Bradley stood at the front adjusting his tie, completely unaware that his world was about to be turned upside down. At exactly noon, the doors swung open, and Big Shaq walked in again, but this time he wasn’t alone. Flanking him were two of his senior executives, their expressions unreadable. Today, he was dressed in a sharp tailored suit, exuding authority with every step.
Bradley turned, ready to dismiss another unworthy customer, but the moment his eyes landed on Shaq, his face drained of color. Panic flickered in his gaze. “Mr. Shaq,” he stammered, his voice suddenly much softer than it had been yesterday. “I—I didn’t realize…”
Shaq tilted his head, arms crossed. “Didn’t realize what?”
Bradley swallowed hard. “I wasn’t aware that you were the owner,” he said, his voice trembling.
Shaq let the silence drag out, wanting Bradley to feel every single second of this moment. Finally, he spoke, his tone deceptively calm. “So tell me, Bradley, what exactly was it about me yesterday that made you think I didn’t belong in my own store?”
Bradley’s face flushed. “I—I thought—”
Shaq interrupted, “That I was some random guy off the street? That I didn’t fit the look of someone who shops here?”
Bradley shifted uncomfortably. “I was just following protocol.”
Shaq let out a low, humorless laugh. “Protocol? Is that what we do here? Judge people by their appearance? Decide who’s worthy of shopping based on their clothes?”
No one spoke. Shaq turned back to Bradley, his voice sharp. “I built this company to be a place where everyone is treated with respect. But yesterday, you made it very clear that respect only applies to certain people.”
Bradley’s hands were practically trembling now. “I swear it won’t happen again.”
Shaq studied him for a moment, then exhaled. “You’re right about that.” A pause. “You’re fired.”
Bradley’s eyes widened. “W-wait, please! I—”
Shaq shook his head. “There’s nothing to discuss.” He watched as Bradley’s expression shifted from disbelief to defeat. The manager turned and shuffled toward the back office, shoulders hunched.
Shaq turned to the rest of the employees, his voice steady but firm. “Let this be clear: this company is built on respect, and I will not tolerate discrimination in any form. If any of you ever treat a customer the way I was treated yesterday, you won’t have a job here. Simple as that.”
A hushed murmur swept through the room, but there was no resistance—only quiet agreement. Shaq nodded once. “Get back to work.” With that, he turned and walked toward the back office. He had won the battle, but this wasn’t just about Bradley; there was still more to be done.
That evening, Shaq sat in his penthouse, a glass of whiskey in hand, staring out at the city lights. His phone buzzed with a message from his COO: “Company-wide diversity and inclusion training starts next week. This won’t happen again.” Shaq exhaled, setting the phone down. It wasn’t just about punishing one person; it was about changing the system, and he was just getting started.
The next morning, the atmosphere in the store had shifted. It was subtle at first, like a quiet storm rolling in before it made its presence known. Employees moved faster, with a sense of purpose that hadn’t been there the day before. Conversations were quieter but more intense, as though something important was being discussed in every corner of the store. Shaq could feel it in the air; he had made his point.
He walked through the store, his presence commanding but calm. It wasn’t just his stature; it was the knowledge that this place—his empire—was about to change. Shaq made his way to the back office, only to find Bradley packing his personal belongings into a box. The sight was almost comical, the way Bradley hurriedly threw things into the box as though he might suddenly escape the consequences of his actions.
Shaq leaned against the door frame, arms crossed. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, you know that?” he said, his voice even but every word sharp enough to cut through the silence.
Bradley looked up, eyes wide, his face still flushed from the previous day’s humiliation. He opened his mouth to say something, but Shaq held up a hand. “Save it. You don’t get to apologize now—not after everything you’ve done. You don’t get to try and make this go away with a few words.”
Bradley stammered, trailing off as he glanced nervously toward the door. “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m just under a lot of pressure, you know? I didn’t mean to come off like that.”
Shaq shook his head, an almost imperceptible smile pulling at his lips. “It’s not about what you meant, Bradley. It’s about what you did. And what you did was disrespectful. You treated me like I wasn’t worth your time, like I didn’t belong here. That’s not something you just apologize for; it’s something you fix.”
Bradley’s hand froze midair as he was about to put a picture frame into the box. He looked down at his feet. “I didn’t know you were, you know, the owner.”
Shaq let out a short laugh. “It shouldn’t matter. It never should have mattered. But you couldn’t see beyond your own prejudices.”
The words hung in the air, and Shaq could see the weight of them sinking in. He didn’t wait for Bradley to respond; instead, he walked out of the office, leaving the manager to finish packing his things.
Later that day, Shaq gathered the remaining staff in the main part of the store, his eyes scanning the room. There was an energy in the air that hadn’t been there yesterday—a quiet understanding, a shared awareness. “I don’t want this company to just be another place where you come to work. I want it to be a place where you feel respected, where you’re valued. Every single one of you,” he paused, making eye contact with several employees. “The way you treat others says everything about you, and it says everything about the company you work for. That’s why we’re rolling out a mandatory diversity and inclusion training across all stores. It’s not optional; it’s required.”
Shaq looked around the room as the staff absorbed the announcement. There were a few nods, a few confused looks, but Shaq didn’t mind. He knew it would be tough to start this conversation, but it was necessary. “I know it’s going to be uncomfortable for some of you,” he continued, “but this is about creating a space where we all feel heard—a place where everyone gets treated the way they deserve to be treated.”
Rebecca, who had been quiet up until now, spoke up. “We’ll have the first training session next week. I’m putting the outline together today. I’ll make sure we cover everything from unconscious bias to
The idea of Jeff Bezos ‘scared’ me away from trying to buy the Phoenix Suns, says Shaquille O’Neal
The idea of bidding against the second-richest person in the world is understandably intimidating, even if you’re legendary former NBA big man Shaquille O’Neal.
O’Neal, a 7-foot-1 Hall of Famer, says Bezos’ massive net worth “scared” him away from his plans to make a bid for ownership of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. “Nobody on this planet can compete with Big Man JB,” O’Neal told TMZ Sports on Saturday, referring to Bezos, adding: “Because you know what? I just ordered 50 things off Amazon today. Big Man JB got that money coming in.”
O’Neal made similar comments during a recent episode of his podcast, “The Big Podcast.” “Jeff said he wants it, and a couple of other heavy hitters said they want it. I’m not even going to put my name in the bucket on this one. I’m not,” O’Neal, who played for the Suns from 2007 to 2009, said.
Bezos is one of multiple billionaires reportedly considering a bid for the Suns, according to ESPN. Current Suns owner Robert Sarver said last month that he’s putting the team up for sale, after the NBA suspended him following a damning investigation that detailed extensive examples of Sarver’s workplace harassment and inappropriate behavior.
Other potential high-powered bidders include former Disney CEO Bob Iger, former Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and Laurene Powell Jobs, the former wife of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, ESPN reported. Bezos hasn’t confirmed the report publicly, and didn’t immediately respond to CNBC Make It’s request for comment.
The Suns franchise is currently worth $1.8 billion, and could reportedly sell for at least $2.5 billion, according to a recent Forbes report. That might be within Bezos’ price range: The Amazon founder is the world’s second-richest person, with a net worth of $139 billion, according to Bloomberg.
By comparison, O’Neal reportedly has an estimated net worth above $400 million, after making almost $290 million in salary during his 19-year NBA career.
In other words, he likely couldn’t afford to buy the franchise if he tried. But he could join an ownership bidding group with a minority stake, a common move for former athletes — think Magic Johnson buying a stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 — to add star power and financial resources to a potential bid.
O’Neal said he’d be open to the opportunity, if Bezos asks. “If [Bezos] wants me on board, I would gladly like to talk to him,” he told TMZ, adding: “As far as trying to own a whole team by myself, and go up against him? Let me tell you something: I’m scared of Big Man JB. Shaq O’Neal is scared of Big Man JB.”
