While he has usually rocked a bald head throughout his playing and analyst career, Shaquille O’Neal showed off a rare hairline on Tuesday.
O’Neal, 47, appeared on the NBA on TNT pre-game show Tuesday night, where he revealed he started growing his hair out after losing a bet to Dwyane Wade.
The NBA legends bet over Monday’s game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat, which Miami won convincingly 105-89, causing Shaq to start growing his hair out.
Hairline: While he has usually rocked a bald head throughout his playing and analyst career, Shaquille O’Neal showed off a rare hairline on Tuesday
Bet: O’Neal, 47, appeared on the NBA on TNT pre-game show Tuesday night, where he revealed he started growing his hair out after losing a bet to Dwyane Wade (far right)
‘Let’s get it out of the way, America,’ Shaq began, as the camera went in close on his hairline.
‘I had a bet against one of my good friends, D Wade, Milwaukee versus the heat. I said Milwaukee was gonna win by 20 and the Heat won,’ he added.
‘I said, “So what do you want me to do? Pay you?” He said, “Nah, you gotta let your hairline grow out and we wanna see your hairline looking like Kenny Smith,’ Shaq said, referring to another NBA analyst.
Close: ‘Let’s get it out of the way, America,’ Shaq began, as the camera went in close on his hairline
As his co-hosts Candace Parker, Adam Lefkoe and Wade himself began to laugh, Shaq hinted this look will stick around for awhile.
‘So I just lined it up for y’all, so y’all could see where my hairline starts. And I look good, and I’m proud to do it and I’m keeping it like this all week,’ Shaq added.
This isn’t the first time Shaq has had some follicle fun with his fans, as evidenced in a December 2018 Instagram video.
Co-hosts: As his co-hosts Candace Parker, Adam Lefkoe and Wade himself began to laugh, Shaq hinted this look will stick around for awhile
Lined it up: ‘So I just lined it up for y’all, so y’all could see where my hairline starts. And I look good, and I’m proud to do it and I’m keeping it like this all week,’ Shaq added
The video featured Shaq visiting ‘master barber’ Chuck Taylor, who had some fun with him while getting a glimpse at his minimal hairline.
At first, Taylor just sheared the top of his head, leaving the hairline on the sides, with Shaq joking that it made him look like another NBA analyst, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
Shaq insisted that Taylor had to, ‘fix this,’ as he put some lotion on his head, revealing under a towel that he has a blonde wig underneath, which, as Shaq notices, didn’t come off.
The 7-foot-1-inch O’Neal played 19 seasons in the NBA for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.
He is a four-time NBA champion, the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2000 and Rookie of the Year in 1993.
He was a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
Playing days: The 7-foot-1-inch O’Neal played 19 seasons in the NBA for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics
MVP: He is a four-time NBA champion, the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2000 and Rookie of the Year in 1993