Shaquille O'Neal explains what he has to do to be able to fit into Ferraris and Lamborghinis

While being 7ft1 is brilliant for a basketball career, there are some downsides that come with being so tall.

Retired NBA star Shaquille O'Neal most definitely reaped the rewards that comes with being so tall over the course of his 19 year-long basketball career, even winning an Olympic gold medal back in 1996.

Basketball by design is made for tall players like Shaq, but something that's not is a sports car.

Shaq has long been a wealthy man as a result of his successful sports career, so it was inevitable that the 51-year-old was going to invest some of his hard-earned cash into some nice cars for himself at some point.

In the wake of his new Pepsi campaign where Shaq in the face of the brand's new mini cans, the former Miami Heat star was asked if there was ever a time he wished he was slightly more mini.

Speaking to People, Shaq shared that the 'only time' he's wanted to be a bit smaller was 'when it comes to driving sports cars'.

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To be able to fit in cars from manufacturers like Ferrari and Lamborghini, Shaq actually had to have them customized.

"They've got these Lamborghinis and Ferraris ... [and] I used to have to buy two, shrimp them up, spend a crazy amount of money and take the convertible part off to make myself fit," he told the magazine.

"But that's the only time I've wished I was smaller, so I can get into some of these expensive sports cars."

"Other than that, I've never had that thought process," he added.

He must have gotten used to banging his head on doorframes then...

It's believed that at one stage Shaq purchased two Lamborghini Gallardos; one new, one pre-owned.

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He then approached metal-crafters Gaffoglio and asked the company to adjust the cars so that they'd have an extra long wheel-base.

According to Super Car Blondie, the basketball favorite paid $600,000 for the customization, which is thought to be more than the cars cost.

While Shaq is largely happy with his height, last year he admitted he wanted to lose weight and successfully shed two stone.

Noting his NBA on TNT co-host Charles Barkley's own weight loss, Shaq said at the time: "I was looking at myself and I had that Charles Barkley retirement body.

"I didn’t want my stomach to be over the belt anymore. So I was just like, ‘Let me go ahead and get slim'."

Good for you, Shaq.