Shaquille O'Neal reveals advice he gives to sons when encountering police: 'Try to defuse the situation'

'If it happens to get rough, don’t say anything, don’t do anything, just comply'

Shaquille O’Neal has opened up about systematic racism in America, police brutality, and what he tells his sons to do if they encounter police.

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Tuesday, the basketball star said: “I have that talk with them all the time.

“I tell them: 'First of all, you have to try to defuse the situation by showing respect because you have to understand that these people are all out here to do all their jobs. So you have to try to defuse the situation.”

“'And if it happens to get rough, don’t say anything, don’t do anything, just comply, and then when all is said and done you call me and if stuff gets out of hand, then I will handle it,'” O’Neal, who has two sons, Shareef, 20, and Shaqir, 17, continued. “I will be the one to come around and act crazy. ‘I don’t want you to act crazy while you’re out there by yourself.' So I just try to tell them: 'Just comply, just listen, but a lot of times that doesn’t work either.'"

While speaking with Kimmel, the NBA Hall of Famer also condemned the death of George Floyd, who was killed by a white former police officer, and shared his support for the peaceful protests that have been taking place around the world as a result.

“What happened to George Floyd was all the way wrong,” O’Neal said.

“Absolutely wrong. Uncalled for. I’ve never seen that technique taught,” he continued, referring to the police officer placing his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. “A lot of police officers I’ve talked to would never do that.”

“I am for peaceful protest and I am for justice,” O’Neal added.

On Wednesday, the third-degree murder and third-degree manslaughter charges against Derek Chauvin, the former police officer in question, were upgraded to second-degree murder.

The three other officers present at the time of Floyd’s death, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng, were also charged Wednesday.