Shaquille O’Neal donates $45k to struggling Atlanta restaurants

Shaquille O’Neal is known for his loveable off-court personality, but he’s outdone himself with this donation to a struggling restaurant.

Get ready to love Shaq even more than you already do.

Since retiring from the NBA in 2011, the basketball legend has become known for his likeable off-court personality and random acts of kindness.

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Just last week, he made headlines after buying an engagement ring for a stranger while passing by an Atlanta jewellery store.

Now, the former Laker has made a generous donation to one of his favourite Atlanta restaurants, starting up a surprise “Employee Relief Fund” to the tune of AUD $45,000 (USD$35,000).

Shaq pledged the funds to Restaurant 10 as part of his Shaq Gives Back series on Bleacher Report.

The new video series, organised in partnership with insurance company The General, follows the basketballer as he donates to Atlanta businesses that are doing it tough in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

In the first episode, O’Neal visits the restaurant, helps the kitchen staff with their cooking duties and makes his generous donation.

“This is one of the best things you guys could have ever given us.”@SHAQ surprised one of his favorite Atlanta food spots “Restaurant 10” with $35K in Employee Relief Fund with @TheGeneralAuto 🙏 pic.twitter.com/ZyK6uX2zHN

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 13, 2021

“I think this is one of the best things you guys could have ever given us, ‘cause nobody’s had really much time off and we greatly appreciate it,” the restaurant’s head chef Lorri Clay said in the video.

Clay also revealed Shaq is a frequent diner at the restaurant, and is especially partial to two of its menu items.

“Shaquille O’Neal loves our fried chicken and our collard greens,” she said.

“He’s the one who inspired us to change our menu because he came in and he says, ‘I want some fried chicken’ and we were like, ‘OK’ and now it’s a part of our 2021 menu.”

Shaq is just as impressive off the court as he was on it.

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Over the course of the series, Shaq is set to make additional donations to a record store and a non-profit meal delivery service.

O’Neal told Adweek that Atlanta businesses were selected for the series following “extensive research”.

“We wanted to focus on a couple places that are city renowned, that everybody knew and everybody loved,” he said.

“The pandemic has led to devastating effects across the U.S. We just wanted them to know we were there for them, and we want to show the world what we do and how we give back to the community.”