Chill: Are you excited for the move this year?

Shaquille O’Neal: Yes, I am. I actually got traded to a good team who’s one piece away so I think if everything goes right and we’re injury free, possibly we could be there at the end.

What’s the process of acclimating to a new team?

Nothing at all. I’m going to just go in, be myself. I’ve been a people person my whole career so I’m fine.

Are these folks you’ve known from playing against them?
Does it ever cross over socially?

Not really, no. I’ve been friends with Lebron ever since he came to the league so we already have a pretty good relationship.

What are your hopes for the new basketball season?

To win the whole thing so I can quit playing.

How do you keep in such good shape?

I’ve been working all summer. I’ve been studying the guys I’ve got to go up against. I’ve been doing a little bit of everything, just been working.

Will you do more movies?

I mean, if I get the opportunity to do more movies, I would. I admit that I’m not really like a thespian like one of these great actors. I’m very lucky that I got a lot of opportunities to do so. If I ever get a good opportunity to do a movie, I’d take it.

Will you have to commute from LA?

No. When I’m done I’ll probably move to LA full time.

Who’s your favorite Twitter user?

Kevin Hart, the comedian. He’s funny.

Are you just so bored during the off season that you have to create other competitions for yourself?

Yes. I am bored. Very bored. I get bored just going to the gym and running on the treadmill all the time. Seventeen years of just the same. Now I get to play tennis with Serena a couple days, work out with Ben at the Steelers facility for a couple days, roll with St. Louis, work out with Albert Pujols for a couple days.

Have you found anything you’re not as good as you thought you’d be at?

No. No.

You’re good at everything?

No, it’s not that. It’s just that I’m a guy, I’m an athlete. I have a certain mentality that if I put my mind to doing something, I can do it. So it’s not that I think I’m good at everything. It’s just that my mindset is very, very different.

Were you nervous about anything?

No, not at all.

You couldn’t get David Beckham to compete against you. What are your thoughts on him?

I understand that he’s scared. Some of these guys, if I say something and then it comes true for me, it really looks bad on them. So let’s just say he wants to come out and try to score on me and he couldn’t do it. That’ll make him look really bad so some athletes don’t like to take that chance.

What inspired Shaq. Vs.?

Well, basically the concept came up with Michael Phelps, the swimmer. I said, “Look, if Mike has to swim there and back, I gotta swim one way, there’s no way he can beat me.” My agent said, “You’re out of your mind.” But if I’m racing Lance Armstrong ten miles and he gives me a three mile head start, no way he can beat me. So we brought that idea to ABC and we’re challenging all the elite athletes at their sport. Being a male athlete, I would love to see if I can compete against other great athletes. So it’s just me being a male, just me being a guy, just me being curious.

Who’s your dream contender?

I would like to, believe it or not, see if I could drive it further than Tiger Woods.

Have you ever considered doing a reality show like T.O. does?

No.

Have you seen his show?

No, I haven’t seen it. How is it? Is it good? I haven’t seen him.

What was your biggest challenge in Shaq Vs.?

I’m going to have to say Michael Phelps.

To me, there are good athletes, great athletes, super athletes and freakish athletes. I was like Phelps or Lance Armstrong, freakish. Lance Armstrong, Tour de France, 130 miles a day. There’s nothing I can do with that. I know that.

However, if he gives me a little head start, then maybe I can compete.

How did you prepare for it?

Just working out every day. I’ve been working out all summer anyway but for me it’s also like a cross training to get into the best shape of my life.

Did any ballers want to challenge you?

Basketballers? They all know better. They all know better.

You Twittered that you want to work for TMZ for a day. What do you want to do for them?

You know what? The other day I was riding around and I was on Sunset and a bunch of camera guys were standing out front. So I pulled up, I said, “Yo, who’s in there?” He was like, “Lionel Richie’s in there.” So my thing is, these guys know where everybody’s at so I want to know how they get that information. So I just want to go out there for a day with a camera and get to see what they do because I ride on Sunset and I see these guys everywhere. They know where people are.

Would you be a good paparazzo with your size?

Of course I would. Of course I would.