Shaq Once Spent So Much at Walmart His Credit Card Was Declined

“I know I’m not broke.”

At the height of his career in the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal made an insane amount of money. Pulling down $20,000,000 a year is an unfulfilled dream for most.

You’d think Shaq-level money means simple shopping trips to Walmart aren’t a big deal. The guy could buy anything. Shaq could tell you that’s not always true. 

Shaq told the story of his crazy retail experience on Late Night With James Corden. He said he had “the biggest purchase in Walmart history — $70,000.” 

The big man was at the big box store after being traded from Miami to Phoenix. He was there to buy furnishings for his new place.

Apparently his appetite for shopping is as large as his appetite for, well, anything else (it takes a lot to fuel a 7’1″ athlete’s body). “I got to go get four or five TVs,” O’Neal told Corden, “I’ve got to go get printers. I’ve got to go get laptops. I’ve got to go get appliances, sheets, towels, underwear, T-shirts. So at the end, it was $70,000.”

Amazingly, his card was declined twice. Of course he thought, “I know I’m not broke.” Anyone would’ve been frustrated, and he obviously was, giving up and leaving—only to get a call from American Express.

 Shaq said the Amex security operator told him, “‘Hey man. Somebody stole your credit card and they spent $70,000 at Walmart.”

He told Corden’s audience it was a “true story.” He eventually worked things out and got his truckload of stuff from the store.

There you go, one of the only life experiences of a literally gigantic NBA superstar that average folks will ever find it easy to relate to.

h/t Page Six