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Before NBA duties called him back to Atlanta, Shaquille O’Neal made a quick stop in New York on Monday. No, he’s not got a rematch with ‘The Messiah.’ He was there for his Reebok Veep, little brother, and star of the show he produced, Allen Iverson. The wild persona of The Answer is documented in an Amazon Prime documentary and a memoir. While promoting them, Iverson made a major revelation about his life. However, it’s sort of stunned the big guy. While on the press tour for Prime’s Allen Iv3rson and his memoir, Misunderstood, AI revealed he quit alcohol six months ago. This subject is quite personal to Shaq having dealt with alcoholism in his family. He was caught off guard a tad when he was asked about it at the show’s premiere. “I didn’t see that,” O’Neal said after talking about AI’s impact on NBA culture. “I didn’t know anything was wrong.” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Not that Shaq is feeling betrayed or left out. He looked caught off guard. He was once in Tawanna Turner’s place, who reunited with AI recently after divorcing him for his partying lifestyle. While Shaq’s hard partying past cost him his marriage too, he didn’t drink much. He admits popping champagne with his dad, Philip Harrison, when he won his four championships. But Shaq doesn’t drink in public out of concern for his mother. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Lucille O’Neal battled alcohol addiction in the past. It was Shaq who helped her get sober, go to college, and get his old philanthropic and strict mom back. He personally knows how difficult it is. So Iverson’s news probably struck a chord. Allen Iverson’s sobriety is personal for Shaquille O’Neal While the effects weren’t obvious, Iverson revealed that he was dealing with fuzziness, missing flights, and even getting talked into giving cash and expensive gifts to acquaintances when he’s drunk. He’s a better version of himself and with Tawanna again. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports O’Neal may have not been privy to this big change in the 50-year-old’s life but he’s happy for him. “He knows that if he ever needs me, all he has to do is call me, but I’m proud of him.” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad His decision to not drink has cost Shaquille O’Neal a few hundred thousand. He had a bad case of FOMO when Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith went off with the rest of the TNT crew to the local watering hole. To find something to do after hours, he bought an entire hookah bar in Atlanta to hang out at. Despite his personal decision, O’Neal invested in the Shark Tank business, Beatbox in Mark Cuban’s portfolio. Allen Iverson also discovered he didn’t need to drink to party. “When you get drunk, you’re not how you usually are. The more I see it on other people, the more it makes me happy about the decision. And the more I see how the people around me appreciate it, I love it,” Iverson said earlier this month to mark six months of sobriety.
