Shaquille O’Neal Becomes ‘Dark Nowitzki’ Casually Taking Over Germany Street Hoops 

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is enjoying some quality time in Germany during this offseason, giving himself nicknames in the process.

Shaquille O’Neal Becomes ‘Dark Nowitzki’ Casually Taking Over Germany Street Hoops 

Shaquille O'Neal (Image by FirstSportz)

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Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal always finds some way to entertain his fans, even if the NBA season is not ongoing. As the current off-season and NBA trade market are in full swing, O’Neal had different plans altogether. He surprised his fans by usually attending a casual pick-up game in Germany, highlighting his sharp skills and funny nature on the court.

In addition, he also gave himself a hilarious nickname in the process, garnering immense reactions from the NBA community in general. While playing with fans in Germany, O’Neal dubbed himself as the ‘Darl Nowitzki’, leaving many in laughter. He took to his Instagram as he posted a clip of himself playing with the fans in Germany:

Four-time NBA champion O’Neal played a spirited five-on-five game with the locals. He jokingly took on the moniker in homage to Germany’s basketball idol, Dirk Nowitzki, who dazzled players with his accurate passes and vision. Notably, Marcus Crawford, a content creator, collaborated with the famed big man in the game, generating buzz with each move.

O’Neal’s performance was reminiscent of his heyday, combining skill and strength in a vibrant environment that made spectators applaud. As for the nickname, the German legend won’t mind it at all, especially as it comes from a legend like O’Neal. Both have been immense for their respective teams in the past, especially the 2006 NBA Finals, where Nowitzki and O’Neal came face-to-face.

Initially, O’Neal got the better of Nowitzki, but it was the latter who triumphed and won the NBA Finals over the former Miami Heat star. These moments made them turn from rivals to friends and share a great bond on and off the court. To this day, O’Neal and Nowitzki look back on their time in the NBA and their fierce memories together.

This is not the first time Shaquille O’Neal has used the ‘Dark Nowitzki’ nickname

Without a doubt, Shaquille O’Neal is one of the funniest personalities in the basketball community. Those who have watched him from his playing days to the legend now analyzing and attending podcasts know that O’Neal is known for his hilarious nature. He does not think twice before trolling someone or trolling himself as well.

Interestingly, O’Neal calling him Dark Nowitzki is not the first time. Last year, he was involved in a similar situation with NBA journalist Kristen Ledlow. She took to her social media to reveal the hilarious moment she had with O’Neal on live television regarding the famous nickname.

For context, O’Neal told Ledlow to introduce him by calling him Dark Nowitzki, his nickname. But Ledlow initially denied, which led to O’Neal stating that he would not remove the paper from his face until the TNT reporter called him by his new nickname.

This was him being peak O’Neal, to which Ledlow finally succumbed and called him by his nickname. O’Neal quickly removed the paper and dabbed her up, unfolding to be a hilarious moment on live TV.

Dirk Nowitzki had a hilarious reaction to Shaquille O’Neal’s nickname related to him

In addition, the German legend, Dirk Nowitzki, also opened up on this matter when it came to him. The former Dallas Mavericks player said that the clip was shared with him by many people close, and he was dying of laughter when he saw O’Neal telling Ledlow to call him by his desired nickname.

I was dyin’ laughing when I saw that a while ago I think on NBA TV. So many people sent me that. I was like Shaq is nuts, I mean what do you expect? He’s the best.

Dirk Nowitzki said on The Big Podcast
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O’Neal (Credits: MARCA)

Nowitzki made his views clear during his appearance on the Big Podcast in April 2024. This also showcases that O’Neal is one of the best nickname merchants the NBA has, but ‘Dark Nowitzki’ is a class above all.

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