President William Ruto and first lady Rachel Ruto met with National Basketball Association (NBA) legend Shaquille O’Neal during their visit in the United States of America.
Ruto and the first lady met up with the NBA legend on May 20, 2024, alongside USA Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman during a visit at the Martin Luther King Jnr National Historical Park in Atlanta.
In a video seen by The Kenya Times, the two were seemingly marveled by the size of O’Neal who is a four-time NBA Champion.
The Head of state was visibly astonished by the height of Shaquille and had to face up while having a moment of laughter with the former NBA star.
When President Ruto and the first lady posed for a photo, the NBA legend’s presence dwarfed the rest of the people present in the shot.
Further, the President can be seen in the video excitedly shaking O’Neal’s hand as he placed his other hand on the athlete’s shoulder.
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Shaquille O’Neal
Standing tall at a height of 7 foot and one inch, Shaquille O’Neal is among several names within the NBA world that even non-basketball fans recognize.
O’Neal, popularly known as Shaq, is a Hall-of-Fame who had an outstanding stint in the basketball world and spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA.
He spent 19 seasons in the NBA, winning four championships, while playing for six teams.
Shaq was born on March 6, 1972, in Newark, New Jersey with his playing career kickstarting during his college days at Louisiana State University (LSU).
At LSU, Shaq quickly became a star player and was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in 1991 and 1992.
The giant player helped lead the LSU Tigers to the NCAA tournament in each of his three seasons there.
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Following his remarkable performance while in college, Shaq’s rise to the NBA came in 1992 when he was named as the number one overall pick in that year’s NBA Draft by NBA side Orlando Magic.
NBA Career
At Orlando Magic, O’Neal quickly established himself as one of the league’s best young players being named 1992 NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season.
He also helped lead the Magic to their first-ever playoff appearance in his second season.
During the 95-96 season, he spent much of the time injured until free agency where he was picked up by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Shaq signed a seven-year, $121 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996.
Following the signing, he teamed up with the late Kobe Bryant, with the two becoming one of the most dominant duos in NBA history.
During his stint with the Lakers, O’Neal won three NBA championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002 and was named the NBA Finals MVP in each of those seasons.
He was also named the NBA Most Valuable Player in the year 2000.
Upon his exit from the Lakers in 2004, O’Neal joined the Miami Heat where he played until 2008 and won one championship.
The NBA star also represented other NBA teams such as Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics before his retirement in 2011.
Shaq Off the Court
Off the court, Shaq has been active in many community activities across the US including donating money, food, and other resources.
Shaq currently works as a journalist and analyst for TNT’s “Inside the NBA” alongside other former players like Charles Barkley and Kenny “The Jet” Smith.
O’Neal met with Ruto as the head of state toured the Martin Luther King Jr Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
In his first day, Ruto spoke at The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum before meeting with Kenyans living in the United States.
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