A Shaq and Bobby White basketball game has gone viral. Few days ago, an officer named Bobby White responded to a 911 call where a bored neighbor called to complain about kids playing basketball, and when he arrived on the scene instead of addressing the matter, he played with them. Shaquille O’Neal, a Miami Beach reserve officer, caught wind of the story, contacted White to give the children the best game of their lives.
Shaq and Bobby White gave a group of boys in Florida memories and life lessons that they will cherish. This is how this beautiful human story began.
On Thursday, a neighbor with too much time on their hands called 911 to report a crime – kids playing basketball on the street and laughing while doing it! Gainesville, Florida Police Officer Bobby White was dispatched to the scene of the offense and the dash-cam footage of what happened once he got there was very surprising.
Instead of scolding the teens and pre-teens for playing and talking loud, he played ball with them, encouraged the youngsters to be themselves. The video was posted with the following message:
“We’re going to let kids be kids. We are going to focus on the ones that commit crimes. #HoopsNotCrime.”
More than 14 million people watched the clip, including former professional basketball player and honorary deputy Shaquille O’Neal. On Saturday, the analyst on Inside the NBA surprised Officer White while he was in a meeting and told him “let’s go play ball.” Along with several police officers, White and Shaq returned to the neighborhood where the children were treated to an epic basketball game. One officer told the young boys:
“When he left that day, he told the kids that if they were out there every day he’d be back with reinforcements. And he wasn’t joking.”
Officer White added:
“Told you I was gonna bring some backup, right? You guys ready?.Look at these big guys I brought. You sure you can take them?”
The officers and O’Neal played a game against the kids, who took pictures with the NBA great, who also asked them to pledge that that they will be leaders not followers, they will achieve greatness, will listen to their elders, teachers, and parents. Shaq signed autographs and gave them money – while reminding them that they should not accept cash from a random stranger.
Shaq, who always had a high level of interest in the workings of police departments, was a member of the Safe Surfin’ Foundation, a task force, which tracks down sexual predators, who target children on the Internet. The police department wrote on its Facebook page, along with the video of the game:
“These kids will never forget the day Shaq rolled up to their house to play ball.”
Watch Shaq and Bobby White’s amazing basketball game below.
With so many people hating on cops these days, this is an uplifting story. Kudos to Shaq and Officer White for taking time to connect with these kids. And kudos to those members of the media who reported this event.
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