Basketball fans in Cologne, Germany got the surprise of a lifetime when Shaquille O’Neal, four-time NBA champion and global icon, casually joined a group of locals for a pickup game on the Deutzer Freiheit court.
What started as a regular afternoon run quickly turned surreal when the 7-foot-1 legend stepped onto the blacktop, and introduced himself with a new nickname: “Dark Nowitzki.”
O’Neal, in town for his DJ Diesel performance at the world-renowned Bootshaus nightclub, couldn’t resist the pull of the court. Dressed in streetwear and towering over everyone, he jumped into a game, dishing out flashy passes, blocking shots, and even sinking a three-pointer, a rare feat for a player who made just one in his entire NBA career.
The nickname “Dark Nowitzki” obviously was a nod to Dirk Nowitzki, Germany’s most celebrated basketball export. Shaq posted a video of the game to Instagram with the caption:
“Dark Nowitzki is taking over Germany. Pay me what I’m worth lol.”
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