Shaquille O’Neal crazy ‘cocaine’ story goes viral amidst NBA drug ban
Shaquille O'Neal wants the NBA to research for derivatives of banned drugs that could lead to a player getting a suspension.
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Shaquille O'Neal wants clarity in NBA drug ban
Nowadays, the NBA and other leagues are quite serious about enforcing bans on certain supplements and medicines. They dole out suspensions as an effort to punish those players, just as Bobby Portis found out. Shaquille O’Neal and the Inside the NBA crew were discussing how such situations happen.
The NBA banned the Milwaukee Bucks star for twenty-five games for using ‘Tramadol’. He thought he was using a pain medication known as ‘Toradol’. This mix up will now see him sit at home for the team’s most important stretch.
The NBA might believe Bobby Portis’ story, but in its efforts to curb the use of performance enhancers, they will uphold the suspension. That is to avoid other players taking the chance to try out other such enhancers while giving the excuse of inadvertently mixing them up.
When the crew of Inside the NBA were discussing this, four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal decided to reveal a story which he has not shared before. The story has gone viral as he revealed how he was close to landing in major trouble.
Olympics, ’96 Atlanta. They told us not to eat before we take the drug test. I see them poppy seed muffins, I (ate them). Horace Balmer come into the room, he said, ‘Man, I’m disappointed.’ I had tested positive for cocaine.
Shaquille O’Neal said
Shaq tested positive for cocaine during the ‘96 Olympics after eating Poppy Seed muffins LMAOOO pic.twitter.com/uJR2rwedTy
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) February 21, 2025
The Big Aristotle clarified that only after the authorities did their research did they realize that the poppy seed muffins he ate had some derivates that matched with cocaine. O’Neal was shocked as he knew his stepfather and mother would ‘kill’ him if they found out.
Shaquille O’Neal wants NBA to provide more clarity on banned substances
His colleague Charles Barkley alluded that a player must clarify with the team doctor what he is about to put into his body. Once it goes in, it is the player’s responsibility. However, Shaquille O’Neal after giving his 1996 Olympics story said this.
That’s the only problem I have with the NBA. They tell you not to take this, this and that. But something that’s not on the list can be a derivative of something that you’re not supposed to take, and you could mess up that way.
Shaquille O’Neal said
What he meant is that if any derivatives of one banned substance are available in another, and that second one can lead to the test report flagging the player as having used the banned substance, then it is not the player’s fault.
The Diesel wants the NBA to bring in clarity. Else it is the player who struggles at the end. In this case, with Bobby Portis who he believes is a good guy. The Bucks star did not seem to him being a person who would want to cheat the system.
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Joseph Varghese
(2526 Articles Published)