Shaquille O’Neal made a surprise appearance on Monday in New York City, handing out pairs from his brand-new, exclusive sneaker collab.
The four-time NBA MVP made his appearance at Basketball City at Pier 36. O’Neal is commonly referred to as the “big man with an even bigger heart,” so this pop-up didn’t come as a shock to many fans.
The new sneaker collab is an ode to O’Neal’s latest gummy candy launch with The Hershey Company: Shaq-A-Licious XL gummies. This new treat is sold in sneaker shapes that are inspired by his best-selling SHAQ Footwear sneaker. For this pop-up, the real sneakers have been re-imagined to match the fun colors of the gummies.
The exclusive collab features pairs for the newest flavors…green for lime, orange for mango, and red for strawberry. These unique pairs are a limited edition piece that will only be available through select in-person drops.
“Shaq-A-Licious started with a big idea—make candy that’s bold, fun, and full of flavor. Now we’re stepping it up with sneaker-shaped gummies and three wild new flavors for gummy lovers everywhere,” said O’Neal. “I’ve been part of this from the start, from the flavors to the shapes, and I’m proud of how far we’ve come. This is just the beginning.”
Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies became The Hershey Company’s #1 sweet, following its launch in 2024. With over 11 million units sold, the Shaq-A-Licious line and the new sneaker-shaped gummies, was crafted by O’Neal himself. This new sweet treat gained popularity quickly and more and more fans sought out the gummies.
Over the past two days, the Shaq-A-Licious truck made visits to basketball courts across the city, passing out 500 pairs of the new sneakers to NYC hoopers and fans. O’Neal also came out of retirement for an epic one-on-one matchup against NYC streetball legend, George “The Messiah” Papoutsis. Fans went wild as O’Neal took down Papoutsis in the match.
Shaq-A-Licious sneaker-shaped gummies are now available in addition to the Original and Sour Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies at retailers nationwide. New Yorkers should keep their eyes peeled for more exclusive pop-ups and a chance to secure a pair from this collab.
