Shaquille O'Neal Dunks Meat, Opts To Go Vegan

It doesn’t have quite the same ring as The Big Aristotle or The Big Shaqtus, but The Big Vegan’ll have to do.

Just in time for the meaty part of the NBA playoffs, Hall of Fame big man Shaquille O’Neal’s gone vegan.

Yes, you read that correctly. Shaq, who's game was as meat and potatoes as it gets, is now traveling down the tofu and legumes route.

O’Neal, tipping the scales at more than 300 pounds and standing 7’1”, turned vegan in an effort to get healthier. He still slams down some snacks and plenty of grub – but he does so in a new, healthier way than what he had been accustomed to.

"My friend introduced me to this place and it's healthy," O'Neal told comedian Rip Michaels while sitting inside of Atlanta's Slutty Vegan. "For example, I like cheeseburgers, right. But the way (Slutty Vegan's owner) cooks it, I can eat healthy, but still feel like I'm eating bad."

c/o Urban Eats and Treats

Shaq confirmed his vegan ways while appearing on an episode of Urban Eats and Treats alongside Michaels. He said that he swings by Slutty Vegan when in Atlanta to indulge in the oxymoron that is healthy junk food.

"Whenever I want to cheat, I come over here and cheat," said Shaq.

It's a far cry from O'Neal's college days. He told Michaels about the only thing he was consuming on a regular basis came in the styrofoam cup, high sodium variety. "Top Ramen, pour most of the water out. Get some crackers," Shaq added.

We can only imagine what O'Neal's Inside the NBA cohost, Charles Barkley, thinks of the new Diet Diesel. But you can bet he'll have a saucy take.

 

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