Shaquille O’Neal celebrated his 50th birthday on Sunday night at Prime 112, a Miami steakhouse decorated with decades of memorabilia in honor of the basketball legend.
Shaq’s friends packed the restaurant, which was closed to the public for the night, and he received good wishes via video from Dwyane Wade, Kevin Hart, Kenny Smith, Dr. J, and Ludacris, among others.
In a video, former Heat star Alonzo Mourning says, “I wish I could give you 50 Krispy Kreme donuts, I know that would be the ultimate gift for you.” (O’Neal owns a number of Krispy Kreme franchises and is the brand’s global face.)
“You’ve got one of the best hearts of all the men I’ve ever worked with,” Charles Barkley stated in another. “I know you’re the busiest man in Hollywood in the world of sports,” Warriors star Steph Curry told him, “but take your time to celebrate another year on this earth.”
We’re told O’Neal is a regular at Prime 112, which is frequented by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Alex Rodriguez, and that all save his favorite table was cleared away for the party.
“Every ‘Sports Illustrated’ cover Shaq has ever been on was covered in enormous scale blow ups on the walkway into the party,” a spy says.
According to reports, all of the servers were given special Reebok sneakers to wear, a nod to the baller’s long association with the brand, which he now owns a piece of. The cake was shaped like a Pepsi can, another nod to Shaq’s many long-standing corporate ties, and the windows were also covered with Shaq-themed items.
Ernie Johnson, co-host of TNT, Corey and Jamie Salter of Authentic Brand Group, and Adam Richman, creator of “Shaq’s Fun House,” a Super Bowl weekend event, were among the guests.