Shaquille O’Neal makes waves in Texas, sponsors gun buyback event

Since moving to Texas, former NBA player and now Texan Shaquille O’Neal has given back to others and immersed himself in communities. Most recently, O’Neal will sponsor a gun buyback event in Dallas on Saturday, February 10, according to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department.

It will be the first gun buyback event hosted by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, according to a Facebook video posted by the agency on Monday, February 5. The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon at the office’s training academy, 8401 S. Polk St. The initiative provides a safe way for people to relinquish unwanted firearms.

People who turn in a handgun at the event on Saturday will receive a $100 gift card, and those turning in a “long gun” will receive a $125 gift card, according to the Facebook video.

“This is an opportunity for law enforcement to educate and equip community members with the tools to properly dispose of unwanted firearms,” Dallas County Sheriff Marian Brown wrote in a statement to NBC 5. “Too many deaths have occurred from firearms lying around and they end up in the hands of the vulnerable population.”

O’Neal stated he supports Sheriff Brown’s initiatives, adding the department is “doing the right thing and keeping our communities safe,” according to NBC 5. In 2022, O’Neal bought a home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. After buying a home in Dallas in July, O’Neal was seen feeding a homeless woman and giving her cash, as well as buying a random lucky family a washing machine and 75-inch TV at a local Best Buy.

The four-time NBA champion is no stranger to the Lone Star State. O’Neal spent part of his childhood in San Antonio, playing basketball at Cole High School. O’Neal led the Cougar squad to a 36-0 record and won the 1989 state title. Incidentally, it was the school’s first team state championship.

Following his career at Louisiana State University, O’Neal was drafted by the Orlando Magic as the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft. O’Neal played for six teams throughout his 19-year NBA career. He was announced as a nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on December 21, 2015.