Greg Harris
Shaquille O’Neal overestimated how much underwear he would need when heading to the Winter Olympics, and he’s now revealing why.
Overpacking happens to the best of us. Whether it’s trying to be ready for sudden weather changes, unexpected excursions, or last-minute dinner plans, it’s all too easy to overestimate just how many outfits or essentials you’ll actually need.
Even a Hall of Fame NBA player like Shaq has found himself adding extra undergarments into his luggage when he could have left some at home. The 53-year-old landed in Italy on Sunday (February 15) to help launch a Team USA Athlete Recovery Program.
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The 7-foot-1-inch retired athlete revealed what he packed and explained why he ended up bringing so much.
“I overpacked, I’m a panicker,” he told People. “I always start with the underwear, and for some reason I thought I was going to be here for 10 days so I brought 20 underwear and 20 tank tops, then I’ve got an extra give in case I work out.”
O’Neal also hauled ‘five pairs of jeans, plus sweats’, and more.
He said he’s looking forward to watching figure skating while attending the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan.
While being so tall has a lot of advantages in the NBA, there are some downsides. Over the course of his 19-year-long basketball career, even winning an Olympic gold medal back in 1996, his height has helped massively.
But one area that is a little more awkward is trying to fit into a sports car. The former Miami Heat star was asked if there was ever a time he wished he was slightly more mini.
Shaq shared that the 'only time' he's wanted to be a bit smaller was 'when it comes to driving sports cars'.
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 People in a separate interview.
"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.
Shaq recieved his own custom ‘Cyberbeast’ truck, a massive vehicle with a wide body, 26-inch wheels, and custom LED underbody glow lights. And to top it all off, it’s wrapped in gloss black with black mirrors and extra lights in the front bumper too.