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Shaquille O’Neal has a unique approach to self-care that involves no small expense. On a recent episode of The Big Podcast With Shaq, the retired basketball giant discussed his penchant for regular pedicures.
“I give about $1,000 because I know my feet stink,” Shaq revealed via the Sports Center Instagram. “I know they’re ugly and I like to paint them. I paint that s*** because it’s ugly and I want it to look pretty.” The post also featured a video of his toes, painted a bright blue color.
The NBA Hall of Famer attributed his habit of painting his toenails to an incident advised by his mother, Lucille O’Neal. He recounted a game where a painted toenail led to a standout performance.
“True story — one time I had a toenail that was torn off and I wasn’t going to play in the game,” Shaq said. “I tore my toenail off, so [my mom] did something and then she put some red polish on the thing and I had 40 that game. So I was like, you know what, I’m just going to start painting my toenails.”
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The 52-year-old legend isn’t shy about his color choices either. He enjoys vibrant and sparkling designs. “I do like sparkles and designs and all this stuff,” he added, “just to make it look pretty because I have ugly, stinky feet.”
This routine has been part of Shaq’s regimen for years. In 2019, during a segment on Good Morning America, he received a pedicure while explaining to co-hosts Michael Strahan and Sara Haines that the tradition began with his daughters. “One time I had a toe injury and my daughters were young,” Shaq explained. “They used to play games on daddy. They painted my toes and I had a good game so it became part of my ritual. And it helps my feet look a little bit better.”
In a more unusual spa treatment, Shaq also shared his experience at a fish foot spa in Las Vegas, where he treated his feet to a nibbling cleanse by fish. “The experience was great,” he shared on Instagram, “and the fish love my feet in the Fashion Show Mall.”
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