Shaquille O'Neal made the most expensive purchase in Walmart history and it concerned security at American Express
Shaquille O'Neal made the most expensive purchase in Walmart history, and it concerned security at American Express
O'Neal - affectionately known as Shaq - earned millions during his legendary NBA career.
And his switch from Miami Heat to Phoenix Suns in 2008 was a lucrative, big-money deal.
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Shaq arrived in Arizona with an apartment that wasn't furnished so he paid a visit to Walmart, where he splashed out a whopping $70,000 to kit out his new home.
He went to Walmart, which used to be open 24/7 in the United States, to fill up his apartment, purchasing TVs and clothes, among other items.
Speaking to James Corden on The Late Late Show in 2018, the four-time NBA champion said: "I have the biggest purchase in Walmart history.
"$70,000. I get traded from Miami to Phoenix, and I'm the type of guy [that] I have no patience.
"So, when I get to Phoenix, they have an apartment for me. Nothing's in it.
"Two or three in the morning, I gotta go get four or five TVs, I gotta go get printers, I gotta go get laptops. I gotta go get sheets, towels, underwear, t-shirts.
"So, at the end it was $70,000 so I put my credit card in and it got declined. So, I pulled it out."
Shaq's splurge, however, concerned American Express, who cancelled his card thinking it had been stolen.
On his spending spree, he added: "I put it back in and it said declined again. So now I'm saying 'well, I know I'm not broke'.
"So, I just said 'alright, I'll be back' and then the American Express security called me [and he said] 'hey man, somebody stole your credit card, and they spent $70,000 at Walmart'.
"I said 'no that was me', [the security guard replied] 'what the hell are you buying for $70,000?'"
Shaq's Walmart binge was ultimately in vain as he spent just two seasons with the Suns, leaving the team in 2009.
Topics: Shaquille ONeal, NBA
Nasir Jabbar