When basketball players ply their trade, staying in shape is easier as they regularly workout. But after retirement, they struggle to stay in shape as that regularity stops. Shaquille O’Neal was in conversation with teammate and current Miami Heat executive Alonzo Mourning about those struggles.
Mourning has managed to stay in shape with a concentration on his diet and light exercise. O’Neal on the other hand, does exercise, but he is far removed from his fitter version who used to play in his early days. In fact, fitness has always been the biggest criticism of his career.
Many, including former teammate Kobe Bryant, mentioned that the Big Aristotle’s lack of dedication to fitness cost them many NBA titles. Some even consider that the big man had everything going for him and could have been the GOAT, had he stayed fit.
But now into his 50’s, the Diesel is still a few many pounds heavier. Considering their friendship spanning almost two decades, O’Neal asked Mourning on The Big Podcast with Shaq to name one thing he should stop eating. To this Mourning advised him to stay off dairy. In response, O’Neal first mentioned that he does not intake much milk but then stopped to ask:
I can’t put no cheese on my turkey sandwich. Come on Zo. Zo, please pick something else. I can’t put no butter on my rolls when I go to Prime 112? Please pick something else.
Shaquille O’Neal to Alonzo Mourning
The media played up our rivalry back in the day, but I don’t know where I’d be without @iamzo33.
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— SHAQ (@SHAQ) November 22, 2024
His former teammate advised O’Neal to start taking in Vegan butter and cheese to replace the dairy variants. His four-time NBA title winning teammate could not process the fact that he was being asked to give up some of his favorite dishes.
Alonzo Mourning takes shots at Shaquille O’Neal’s food habits
Alonzo Mourning and O’Neal played together to win the Miami Heat’s first NBA title. During that time, they forged a deep bond that stands to this day. Knowing that, co-host Adam Lefkoe decided to ask O’Neal to mention some of his daily eating habits to see Mourning’s unfiltered reaction to it.
For lunch I’ll probably do a Jimmy John’s, a subway turkey sandwich, with extra mayo.
Shaquille O’Neal to Alonzo Mourning
Hearing this made his championship winning teammate put his hands over his face. The 54-year-old was still shaking his head when he suggested that O’Neal was eating a lot of processed meat. Alonzo Mourning then mentioned that he does not eat meat.
Hearing this made Shaquille O’Neal go into shock. The Inside the NBA analyst has often made fun of his colleague Kenny Smith for switching to a vegan diet. Hearing that his former teammate does the same almost made him cringe. But he understood that Mourning wants him to improve his health more than anything, which is why he agreed to give up dairy.
