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There aren’t many people who know how hard it can be to find shoes capable of fitting a giant pair of feet quite like Shaquille O’Neal, and the big man has once again swooped in to help out a teenager who’s had trouble tracking some down.
In 1997, Shaq attempted to pursue his ill-fated career in Hollywood by starring as the eponymous crimefighter in the critically panned commercial disaster that was Steel. While he may not have found much success by playing a hero on the silver screen, he has been able to make a big difference by coming to the rescue of real people in need.
O’Neal wore a size 22 during his time in the NBA (he’s admitted he’s actually “only” a 20 but prefers to have some room for his toes).
Shaq was lucky enough to have the folks at Reebok cater to his needs when he signed an endorsement deal before starting his own brand. He also has an estimated net worth of $500 million, so while he’s never had much trouble getting as many pairs as he needed, the same can’t be said for people with similarly large feet who aren’t able to make a living playing basketball.
Last year, Shaq went out of his way to come to the aid of a 6’10” 14-year-old who wasn’t able to find football cleats that came in size 23, and he (along with a few NFL players) hooked up another up-and-coming athlete who was facing a similar issue with some much-needed apparel earlier this month.
Now, KCTV reports O’Neal has struck yet again after sending close to 20 pairs of his own shoes to Jor’el Bolden, a 6’5″ 16-year-old from Missouri who’s had a ton of trouble finding anything that fits his size 23 feet.
Jor’el got the chance to Facetime with Shaq after receiving the care package (which also contained a bunch of shirts and other apparel), and while O’Neal’s shoes aren’t his exact size, they’re still a very welcome upgrade until he can use the money that’s been donated to a GoFundMe to secure one of the custom pairs that go for $1,500 a pop.