Shaquille O’Neal Recalls Trying To Meet With Barack Obama At White House: “Tell Obama Shaq Is Here”

Man, Shaquille O’Neal always has the best stories.

During his recent interview with Complex, Shaq revealed the story of how he wasn’t able to get clearance to meet former U.S. president, Barack Obama, during a speech he held in Phoenix’s Suns Center.

The son of Phoenix’s mayor though handed Obama a Shaquille O’Neil game-worn sneaker he wore that Shaq, who played for the Suns at that time, had personally signed.

Shaq explained how he then tried to meet Obama in Washington and Phoenix, flexing his powers, but failed to come through.

“I was in the area. I was there. What happened was I was there, but I didn’t have clearance. And I didn’t want to use my powers. Because I wanted to hand-deliver him the shoe. I met him, but I didn’t meet him. One time I was in DC and I tried to flex my powers. Went to the gate. He added ‘Hey, tell Obama, Shaq is here. I showed them my police badge. They said ‘Shaq we love you’ but… So as I’m walking away, I get a phone call from a strange number. I say ‘hello’? It’s the president. I said ‘Mr. Obama, how’d you get my number?’.

Come on, Shaq, I’m the President’. So then, I knew he was coming to Phoenix, and I was in town, so I rushed to the airport again. ‘Hey, I know Obama is coming, just let me’… ‘Shaq, we can’t let you in. The mayor’s kid was there to give him the shoe.”

.@SHAQ couldn’t get clearance so the mayor’s kid had to gift @BarackObama his shoes

FULL EPISODE: https://t.co/28YowwCEGD pic.twitter.com/6lhxoNZADm

— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) November 29, 2021