The former NBA star sparks concerns after posting a photo of him lying in a hospital bed with while clutching what looks like a TV remote in his hand, tweeting that he misses his 'NBA of TNT' colleagues.
- March 21, 2023
AceShowbiz - Shaquille O'Neal doesn't lose his sense of humor in the face of adversity. The NBA legend has jokingly said that he got a Brazilian Butt Lift, which is often shortened as BBL, while addressing his hospital picture.
On Sunday, March 19, the 51-year-old sparked concerns as he posted a picture of him lying in a hospital bed while clutching what looks like a TV remote in his hand. He tagged his "NBA on TNT" colleagues Ernie Johnson and Candace Parker, saying that he was still tuning into the show while he couldn't be at work.
"I'm always watching @TurnerSportsEJ and @Candace_Parker miss y'all," he captioned the snap. Candace, a two-time WNBA champ, responded, "Love ya big Fella."
Shaq's tweet soon sparked concerns among his followers, who were wondering what happened to the retired basketball player. Shaq then returned to Twitter to clarify his situation, informing his fans that he recently underwent a hip replacement surgery.
"to all the people who are concerned. First let me start off by saying thank you. And lastly i am fine," he wrote in a new post on Monday. "Just had to get some BBL work done aka #hipreplacement. but yes i am fine no need to worry," he added, once again assuring his fans that he's okay.
Shaq included in the post a throwback photo from when he was still playing with Los Angeles Lakers. In the image, he appeared to playfully lift his shorts to show off his bare bum to his teammate. He edited the picture to enhance the butt to emphasize his BBL joke.
According to TMZ Sports, Shaq went under the knife over the weekend to have an issue with his hip corrected. He reportedly decided to undergo the surgery to fix a nagging injury. Sources say the surgery went well and he's currently already on the mend.
It's unclear when Shaq will return to his TV gig, but in a discussion about the procedure earlier this month on his podcast "The Big Podcast With Shaq", he seemed to say he had April 16 in mind for when he could be active again. He also revealed that he planned to go on a diet and get "shredded" after the surgery.
