Shaquille O’Neal has never been one to shy away from saying what’s on his mind, and on a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the Hall of Famer delivered yet another moment of unfiltered comedy that left co-hosts and fans both laughing and slightly stunned.
As the conversation drifted toward aging and retirement, the 53-year-old NBA legend made it clear that when his golden years arrive, he wants no part of being a burden to his children.
“I’m going to be 60, and hopefully I’m not in the old folks home. I mean, because I tell my kids all the time, I don’t want you taking care of me. I don’t want them taking care of me.”
But then came the punchline. With that classic deadpan delivery and a mischievous grin, Shaq revealed what he actually hopes for in his old age.
“The dream scenario, there’s a place in Orlando called The Village,” he said. “The Village is an old folks home, but they have the highest rate of STDs. I want to be there. I’m just saying, they have the highest rate of STDs.”
“I want to be there. I don’t know what that means, but you figure it out. When I get 65 and I can’t move, take me down to Ocala, Florida. Just drop me off, my boy.”
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It’s vintage Shaq, oversized humor with a touch of shock value. But he’s not wrong.
The Villages, a sprawling retirement community in Florida, has long been the subject of both satire and genuine reports about high rates of sexually transmitted diseases among its residents. And whether Shaq was being serious or just crafting another headline-worthy moment, it didn’t take long for social media to go wild.
Fans online laughed at the surreal visual of a seven-foot Shaq cruising around in a golf cart, possibly with a jazz band playing in the background, surrounded by flirtatious retirees.
For someone with a net worth reportedly hovering around $400 million, thanks to a combination of NBA earnings, investments, and massive endorsement deals (from Papa John’s to The General to Icy Hot), Shaq can pretty much retire anywhere in the world. But it’s fitting that he’d choose somewhere buzzing with life, even if that buzz comes with a few eyebrow-raising statistics.
O’Neal, who was once married to Shaunie Henderson, has six children and has famously stated that while he’ll support them, he wants them to earn their own way. He’s also been linked over the years to several women in the entertainment world, including Nicole “Hoopz” Alexander and actress Annie Ilonzeh. His love life has often made headlines, but none of it has ever rattled the larger-than-life big man.
So when Shaq jokes about living out his golden years in a retirement hotspot with a party reputation, it doesn’t feel far off-brand. After all, he’s never been the quiet type, and if he’s going out, he’s going out loud.
