Shaquille O’Neal To Sponsor Former College Basketball Player’s Pursuit Of Becoming Police Officer

Shaquille O’Neal, recently announced as the new Chief of Community Relations for the Henry County Sheriff’s Office in North Georgia, has offered to sponsor the career aspirations of former basketball player Jordan Wilmore, who is seeking to become a police officer.

According to CBS News, the Texas resident, who tried to follow Shaq’s career path as a basketball player, successfully completed the police academy but failed his exam by one point. Shaq has vowed to help him realize his dream of becoming a police officer.

Wilmore, who is 7 feet 3 inches, played his collegiate basketball career at Missouri, Northwestern State, and Austin Peay State University before playing professionally overseas, most recently in the Philippines. He will be attending another police academy, which Shaq has agreed to finance for the former basketball player.

He is from Memphis and will pursue his career with the Kemah Police Department.

Shaq spoke to the media outlet and explained that he learned about Wilmore’s aspirations to become a police officer and wanted to meet him to learn more.

“I found out about him through jealousy,” O’Neal said. “I thought I was the tallest, handsomest cop in the world.”

Shaq’s love for law enforcement is well-documented, and he has worked with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office for nearly five years. So the 7-foot-1-inch NBA Hall of Famer was impressed that Wilmore wanted to join law enforcement.

“It’s commendable that a kid wants to be an officer. I love cops,” O’Neal said.

Wilmore admitted that he also wanted to become a police officer, but was encouraged to pursue basketball because of his height.

“It was hard for me to share, like, my dreams or, you know, the stuff I wanted to do growing up because it was, ‘Well, you just got to focus on basketball because it can make you millions,'” Wilmore told CBS News in September.

Shaq added some words of encouragement for Wilmore.

“I wanted to just let him know, he has my full support. I’m going to be on you, brother, make sure you’re getting it done,” Shaq said.

Shaquille O’Neal To Sponsor Former College Basketball Player’s Pursuit Of Becoming Police Officer