RC with Shaquille O’Neal/Photo Credit: Robin Lori
Written by | Ray Cornelius
Retired NBA All-Star Shaquille O’Neal was in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon promoting his Shaquille O’Neal Collection at the Macy’s at Lenox Square. Throngs of devoted fans and onlookers crowded the 1st level of the men’s department to get a glimpse of the gentle giant. O’Neal shook hands, took loads of pictures and kissed a lot of babies while promoting his new clothing line that he says was created out of necessity.
“My ex-wife spent a lot of money at Macy’s. (LOL) Well, I spent a lot of money at Macy’s. I’m the type that when I go somewhere, I only want to go to one spot. We’d go shopping for her and she’d get everything but there was nothing in there for me.”
Sensing that he probably wasn’t the only man that had this shopping dilemma, O’Neal decided to talk to Macy’s about creating a men’s line that would cater to all sizes and heights not just “Big and Tall.”
“People think it’s a big man line but I’m a little dude in a big man’s body. As you can see, guys aren’t skinny anymore and I wanted to be able to give something in a place where everyone loves to shop.”
O’Neal also says he created the line because he imagined himself meeting President Barack Obama and wearing a suit like the ones he helped design.
“I imagined myself having a meeting with Obama and that’s how I want my suits to look. If I have a meeting with the president or a meeting with a CEO of a big corporation, that’s how I’d want people to look.”
Check out a few photos below and the rest of my exclusive interview with O’Neal where he discusses the special bond he still has with his mother, Lucille O’Neal and being motived by criticism.
O’Neal signing a fan’s sports magazines with his image on the covers…14 in all!
O’Neal autographed his size 23 sneaker and basketball for one lucky Macy’s shopper
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Photo Credits: RayCornelius.com
