Shaq for sheriff! Shaquille O’Neal revealed in a new interview that he plans to run for sheriff in 2020. See what he had to say in the video above.
Speaking with Atlanta NBC affiliate 11Alive, the retired basketball player, 45, said that he is not interested in a future career in politics. Instead, he’d like to dedicate himself to public safety.
“Mayor, no, I would never run for mayor,” the former NBA star told the outlet. “In 2020, I plan on running for sheriff.”
11Alive reports that O’Neal could run for sheriff in Henry County, Georgia, where he lives, or in Orange County, Florida, where he owns a home in Orlando. However, the athlete isn’t sure where he’d like to take his campaign. “I haven’t made up my mind yet,” he shared.
Asked why he would like to be sheriff, O’Neal explained that he wants to build a better relationship between citizens and law enforcement. “It’s not about politics. This is about bringing people closer together,” he said. “You know, when I was coming up, people loved and respected the police, the deputies. And I want to be the one to bring that back, especially in the community I serve.”
According to the Blended actor, he feels he’s a perfect fit for the job because he can relate to a variety of cultural backgrounds. “I can put on a suit and have a conversation with Bill Gates,” he told 11Alive. “I can go in the hood and talk to the homies, and talk to the children.”
Though he’s never been part of any police force, O’Neal said that he would make up for his lack of experience with strong teamwork. “I know how to run a team,” he said. “My style is going to be to surround myself with guys who have been doing it way longer than I’ve been doing it. Surround myself with smarter people.”
