Shaquille O’Neal Says He Doesn't ‘Accept Gifts' and Hasn't in Over 30 Years (Exclusive)

Shaquille O’Neal takes his role as Santa Claus seriously.

The former NBA star tells PEOPLE he doesn’t accept gifts from anyone while discussing his new commercial for Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread Mini Cans. I always tell my family, ‘Show me a movie where Santa receives a gift and I’ll let you buy me a present,'” explains the basketball legend.

O’Neal and his ex-wife Shaunie O’Neal have four children: sons Shareef (24) and Shaqir (21) and daughters Amirah (23) and Me’arah (18). The athlete also has a stepson Myles (27). , from Shaunie’s previous relationship, and daughter Taahirah, 28, with his ex-girlfriend Arnetta Yardbourgh.

“I don’t take gifts,” the NBA Hall of Famer continues, noting that the selfless act began in 1992, “when [he] became the breadwinner of the family.”

“As long as everyone else is happy, I’m happy,” he adds.

Shaquille O’Neal with four of his six children. Cassy Athena/Getty

When his kids (or anyone!) give O’Neal a present, he doesn’t even open it. “I accept, I have a warehouse of 30 years worth of gifts, I will open it one day,” he says.

Choosing the right gifts is getting easier now that his kids are older, O’Neal explains. “It’s easy because all they want is cash,” he laughs. “But when they were young, it was much more difficult. I would have to go to Toys R Us [at] like 11:58, right before they closed and then just delete them. Many times they didn’t want me to come to Toys R Us early because they didn’t want me to buy all the toys so I would have to be late, right before closing time. They let me take the leftovers.”

O’Neal’s latest partnership helps him get even more into the Christmas game. On Wednesday, December 4th, an ad for Pepsi’s latest limited edition product, Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread Mini Cans, dropped, featuring the basketball icon.

In the one-minute spot, O’Neal switches kitchen terrain during “The Mini Holiday Baking Show”: a mockumentary cooking competition show that sounds very similar The Great British Baking Show with accented voiceover and calm music.

“I’m trying to make my most ambitious creation yet,” O’Neal explains, showing a sketch of a soda can and a gingerbread house. “They call me GBOAT Your greatest baker of all time.”

O’Neal can’t seem to shake his athletic nature, blocking contestants from reaching the pantry and yelling competitive statements at them. “I don’t know what you guys are doing there, but it won’t matter!” he announces as he smashes eggs against his head and blows candies into the mixing bowl.

Sugar Free Pepsi Gingerbread Mini Can.

Pepsi

“Make you fucking eat that, James,” he tells the other baker before declaring to everyone, “Pay attention,” and smashing his gingerbread house creation.

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“See what you forgot, smartass, it was baking soda!” she says, tossing the crushed cookies in the trash and adding sugar-free Pepsi gingerbread to the blender. After a few more taunts at James, O’Neal asks, “Do you want to see what perfection looks like? Come here.”

But when he goes to open the oven door, flames jump out and the alarm goes off. O’Neal hands James a fire extinguisher and runs out of the kitchen. When the fire goes out and time runs out, the basketball player returns to show the soda can on the tin.

“Man, it was fun to shoot,” O’Neal tells PEOPLE of her time on set. “I had fun with the people there and got us into the holiday spirit.” The flavor is a natural for the star, who said she loves ginger cookies. Despite having never seen one GBBS, O’Neal looked to clips for inspiration.

You won’t find Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread Mini Cans in your oven — or grocery store. Fans can get the seasonal flavor at Pepsi’s official TikTok Shop — but there’s still a small catch. TikTokers will just win a free Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread Mini Can (while supplies last) by purchasing two 10-packs of Pepsi Mini Cans in a different flavor.

Soda lovers can also visit Pepsi’s official site to enter the Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread Mini Cans giveaway until December 11th.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education