He became an orchestra conductor.
With the snow falling and holiday spirit in the air, the Celtics’ center made a guest appearance at Symphony Hall in the heart of Boston, leading the Boston Pops in a special holiday performance. Shaq has tried his hand at a lot of artistic pursuits in his day, but this was something altogether different.
“I have a whole new respect for conductors and the work they do every day,” O’Neal said. “My arms are shot right now.”
O’Neal joined the Pops to conduct three songs. He opened with “Sleigh Ride,” the popular winter-themed piece by composer Leroy Anderson, followed that with The Jackson Five’s “Can You Feel It?” and closed with Queen’s “We Are the Champions.” That final song, he said, is one he hopes to hear a lot in Boston next June.
The Pops have invited a lot of guest conductors onto the Symphony Hall stage over the years — they’ve had a couple of Red Sox, a couple of Patriots, and a motley mix of famous figures from entertainment and even politics. But Shaq became the first NBA player ever to take the stage — and thus, the Pops’ tallest conductor ever.
“What we appreciate about this is the connection with the world-championship Boston Celtics, and with this man, who’s a true legend of the NBA,” said Keith Lockhart, the Pops’ regular conductor. “But what I like most about it is that Shaq just has this verve for life. He likes doing things, he likes getting out there and meeting people, and we’re delighted by that. So the basic thing I told him was have fun out there. This is about having fun.”
Monday’s Pops performance was another in a series of publicity stunts Shaq has staged so far in Boston. It hasn’t taken long for the Celtics’ newcomer to win the city over — between his rim-rattling dunks on the TD Garden floor and his amusing antics off it, he’s been quick to rally the Hub behind him.
“I think people appreciate my humor, and they appreciate my hard work,” O’Neal said. “Just like they appreciate Keith here at the Boston Pops.”
“I think it’s the sense of humor, and it’s the fact that this city honors and embraces its champions,” Lockhart said. “People who come here to win are just immediately taken in in this city. This is an amazing city for an athlete, and it’s an amazing city for a sports fan, certainly. This is a place that takes its teams to heart, win or lose, success or failure — and the great thing is they treat the Boston Pops the same way. We’re like the fifth championship team.
“Or the fourth,” he joked. “Depending on where you put the Bruins in there.”
