“Basketball cop” Bobby White brought all-star backup to a re-match with Gainesville youth Saturday.
A video of the Gainesville Police officer playing basketball with local kids — subjects of a noise complaint — went viral Thursday.
After promising the kids he’d play with them again, White returned to the neighborhood Saturday — this time with NBA great Shaquille O’Neal.
As of press time, the footage from White’s dashboard camera has attracted about 15 million views.
After 43-year-old O’Neal watched the video, his representative contacted GPD spokesman Officer Ben Tobias to schedule a surprise visit with White and the kids.
At about 2 p.m. Saturday, O’Neal stopped by GPD Headquarters before a surprise pick-up game of basketball on Northwest 21st Avenue.
“The kids were already outside playing ball,” Tobias said. “They had no clue that Shaq was gonna come.”
A group of about 20 police officers and local kids played with O’Neal for about half an hour, Tobias said. O’Neal requested the visit be a secret until afterward, preventing media from interfering with the game.
“I became a cop to help people, and these kids will never forget the day Shaq rolled up to their neighborhood and played basketball with them,” Tobias wrote in an email to local media. “Without my choice to keep it a secret, I’m not sure this day would have transpired like it did.”
O’Neal, who retired in 2011, is famous for dunks that have shattered and collapsed several hoops during his career. Over the span of 19 years, O’Neal helped earn four NBA championships and became known as one of the most dominant players in basketball history.
“Everyone from that neighborhood was outside with camera phones,” Tobias said.
Luckily for everyone involved, and especially the kids’ basketball hoop, O’Neal left his dunking at home.
Contact Martin Vassolo at mvassolo@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @martindvassolo.
