Shaquille O'Neal Reveals How Demi Moore and Bruce Willis Convinced Jerry West to Sign Him for Lakers

Shaquille O'Neal shared how Demi Moore and Bruce Willis influenced Jerry West to bring Shaq to the Lakers before Kobe Bryant joined the team.

By Natasha Bose

Published on Jul 15, 2024 | 11:56 AM IST | 187.6K

Shaquille O'Neal Reveals How Demi Moore and Bruce Willis Helped Land Him in Lakers

In this Article

Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway were teammates in Orlando
Shaquille O’Neal recalled Jerry West’s inspiring story
Shaquille O’Neal's game was once picketed by fans with neck syndrome over a Taco Bell commercial with Jerry West

The Lakers have always had a strong celebrity fan base. These stars often influence the team in significant ways. In one notable instance, Hollywood heavyweights helped the late Jerry West secure 7 ft 1 basketball star Shaquille O’Neal for the Lakers back in 1996.

The heavyweights in question? Demi Moore and Bruce Willis! The Big Aristotle, Shaquille O'Neal, shared how celebrities once influenced Jerry West to bring Shaq to the Lakers before Kobe Bryant joined the team.

Although O’Neal’s Orlando Magic teammate wanted him to stay and win a championship with the franchise, he had to accept the reality of the situation.

Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway were teammates in Orlando

Shaquille O'Neal was crucial to the team as soon as he joined the Orlando Magic. He played a major role in bringing Penny Hardaway to the team from the Warriors via trade. The aim was to build a championship-winning team. However, O’Neal's most memorable career moments were with the Lakers, where he and Kobe Bryant won three NBA championships together.

Former NBA player and teammate Penny Hardaway recently discussed this on the Let's Be Clear podcast, "I didn't want him to go, but I found out that Bruce Willis and Demi Moore all these entertainers and actors out in LA helped recruit him with Jerry West to come out there, and it was too overwhelming and Shaq in the movies and in the music... No, it was a great career move for him because going to LA was a bigger market than Orlando."

While this move hurt the Magic's chances at a championship, Hardaway admitted that it was a fantastic career opportunity for the 4x NBA champion. The Memphis Tigers’ coach mentioned that not winning a championship was his only regret. During an appearance on The Big Podcast with Shaq, O’Neal also expressed his disappointment about not winning a championship with the Orlando Magic in 1995.

Shaquille O’Neal recalled Jerry West’s inspiring story

West assured Shaq that he would win a championship in a few years. Additionally, the Lakers brought Kobe Bryant to the team, forming an iconic duo. Initially, things were tough, and O’Neal often lost his temper. After a disappointing loss, he once began to break urinals off the walls in frustration.

"He (Jerry West) said, ‘Son, calm down. I went to the Finals nine times before I won it with the Lakers,’ so I didn’t feel as bad. So I’m ripping a urinal off, and I was like, ‘Hold on, you went to the Finals nine times and lost?’ He said, ‘Calm down! You’ll get it! You’ll get it,’” O’Neal shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Shaquille O’Neal's game was once picketed by fans with neck syndrome over a Taco Bell commercial with Jerry West

Although Jerry West has been nothing but inspirational for Big Diesel, Shaquille O’Neal once got into trouble for shooting a commercial with the Lakers legend. In 1997, Shaquille O’Neal appeared in a Taco Bell commercial with Jerry West, featuring a disgruntled-looking Shaq suffering from ‘Taco Neck’ syndrome.

This outline, created by Taco Bell’s marketing and creative team, showed Shaq with a supposed neck syndrome where his head was constantly tilted to enjoy the brand’s tacos.

The commercial not only featured Jerry West but also included his teammates Derek Fisher and Eddie Jones. Although the ad aimed to convince viewers of the irresistible taste of Taco Bell’s tacos, it ended up causing unintended harm to The Big Aristotle.

In his book, Shaq: Uncut, O’Neal revealed how the commercial offended people suffering from Neck Syndrome. After the commercial aired, many people dealing with the ailment picked O’Neal’s next game.