Shaquille O’Neal wanted to show off his workout, but something else in the now-viral video caught fans’ attention.
The NBA legend’s shirtless gym video has set social media on fire, with viewers fixating on an unexpected detail involving his loose gray shorts.
While some couldn’t resist making cheeky jokes, others questioned the speculation, pointing out that the moving fabric might not mean what people thought it did.
Reacting to the 54-year-old basketball icon’s workout, one commenter wrote, “That’s an entire leg, Shaquille O’Neal.”
Shaquille O’Neal’s shirtless workout video took an unexpected turn as fans zeroed in on his shorts
Gary Gershoff/Getty Images for Cantor Fitzgerald
Shaq shared the workout video on TikTok on Thursday, October 14, showing himself shirtless as he did reps on a gym weight machine.
Wearing loose gray shorts and black sneakers, the four-time NBA champion appeared to be enjoying his session as he playfully channeled bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“Here I come Arnold Shaqanager,” he playfully captioned the post, which featured rapper Mike Jones’ song Back Then.
But rather than focusing solely on his workout or impressive physique, viewers quickly became distracted by the movement of his shorts.
As the fabric appeared to billow outward, some viewers began speculating about what they thought they could see underneath.
One viewer appeared convinced that the moment was intentional, commenting, “He knew exactly what he was doing!”
Viewers couldn’t stop joking about the unusual detail, while others wondered how it escaped their notice
Someone else joked, “This is genuinely so weird! Don’t act surprised when something that big catches my eye.”
One person admitted that they had initially watched the video without noticing anything unusual, writing, “That took me out. I have a clean mind because it never occurred to me until I got into the comments.”
These comments were sparked by what appeared to be a bulge as his shorts moved.
Others made jokes about the workout itself, with one commenter quipping, “A lifetime of working out but forgot his legs.”
As the jokes spread, some viewers offered more ordinary explanations for the apparent bulge, pointing to the loose material of Shaq’s shorts.
Some fans pushed back against the speculation, suggesting air and loose fabric explained the movement
“Bro is literally wearing compression shorts underneath,” one person wrote, suggesting that viewers were reading too much into the footage.
Another commenter said, “All I see is a whole bunch of fabric.”
“People really don’t know how air works nowadays,” someone else remarked.
Others expressed, “There’s literally something in his pocket, maybe his phone.”
One comment read, “Funny how that’s not his…. it’s just air blowing from behind.”
Beyond the jokes, the video offered another glimpse of Shaq’s commitment to staying active after retiring from professional basketball.
The retired NBA star made fitness a priority after a 2021 wake-up call from his doctor, who bluntly asked him, “Do you want to d*e?”
The former Los Angeles Lakers center has previously spoken about letting his fitness slide for several years after leaving the NBA.
A visit to the doctor around 2021 prompted Shaq to take his health more seriously after he learned how much weight he had gained.
His doctor bluntly asked him, “Do you want to d*e?” which served as a wake-up call.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Shaq said, “I was getting chubby and couldn’t even walk up the stairs. I didn’t like the way I looked in the mirror.”
He added, “I was like, ‘I’m gonna lose 20,’ and then I was trying to lose 20.”
He subsequently changed his eating habits and returned to regular exercise, reportedly losing around 55 pounds (approximately 24 kg) while working toward a healthier weight.
His routine has included cardio and weight training, and he has continued to share glimpses of his workouts online.
Reportedly, Shaq actively works out for about an hour every day.
He has become obsessed with weight training, frequently joking that he wants to develop a “12-pack” and playfully channeling bodybuilding icons like Phil Heath and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“Am I the only one who thinks it’s just air in them loose shorts?” one netizen asked
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