Shaq shocks kids by being cop's "backup" for pick-up game
Last week, a group of kids "defeated" Gainesville Officer Bobby White at a friendly street game of pick-up.
Before leaving the basketball court, White vowed to return one day with "backup."
"They may have won this round," Gainseville Police Department spokesman Ben Tobias told CBS News. "Next time, they can try putting on 30 pounds of gear and dunking."
A week later, the Florida officer followed through on his promise and brought someone with him , although it wasn't just any old basketball player: It was former NBA All-Star Shaquille O'Neal.
Shaq was one of the nearly 14 million people who watched a viral video of White responding to a noise complaint about kids playing ball "loudly" by joining the game instead of shutting it down.
The former NBA player was so impressed with White's message to "let kids be kids," that he decided to schedule a rematch.
"I told you I was going to bring some backup, right?" a confident White asked the kids while exiting his patrol car on Saturday.
While continuing to dribble, the kids simply replied, "Yep."
"Look at these big boys I brought," said White, pointing to other officers. "Are you sure you can take them?"
"Yeah," the group responded, without taking a second glance.
Then the 7-foot-1, 325-pound former basketball superstar exited a black SUV, slamming the door behind him -- and the kids changed their tone.
"You're huge!" one of the kids shouted.
After shaking some hands and taking some warm-up shots, Shaq was ready to play.
"Oh no, I've got [Charles Barkley] on me," joked Shaq during the pick-up game.
Despite getting double-teamed for most of the game, Shaq continued to coach the kids mid-game.
"Play on defense right there!" he advised one young boy. "Roll, big dog."
At the end of the game, he rounded up the kids: "Step into my office."
After each of the eight kids took a shot at the free-throw line for a chance to win $100, Shaq called them over for a final group huddle.
"I'm proud of you guys," Shaq said. "You can be anything you want to be; I'm from the same neighborhood y'all are from -- I grew up just like this."
If you continue to respect your elders, Shaq continued, "you can change this."
After fist-bumping each kid, Shaq asked the boys to repeat after him: "I will become whatever I want to be. I will be a leader and not a follower. I will respect my peers, my elders and especially my parents."
Before leaving, the kids posed for a group photo.
"This is so cool!" one of them shouted.
Shaq agreed, "I'll see you guys around."
"These kids will never forget the day Shaq rolled up to their house to play ball," Tobias said.