NBA great Shaquille O'Neal is making headlines today with the news he's purchased the Krispy Kreme on Ponce de Leon, but his famous sweet tooth is nothing new. And there's a very special reason he always eats dessert first.
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Shaq calls Atlanta home much of the time, and servers around town quickly grew to learn he orders dessert first. (He's a big brownie-and-ice cream guy).
Why, we asked during an interview a few years ago.
"Growing up as a youngster, we never had dessert," he said. "We could never afford dessert. We had Neapolitan ice cream from time to time, which I hated. I always said if I ever make it big, I'm going to eat dessert first."
He did, so he does.
His childhood also informs his cereal preferences.
"After I won my first championship, Wheaties asked me to be on the box," he said. "As a young African-American, we couldn't afford Wheaties. I said, 'I'm a Frosted Flakes and Froot Loops guy.'"
That didn't work out, and O'Neal eventually did grace Wheaties boxes. Still, as successful as he has been on and off the court, he stressed his affinity for keeping things simple: "My family's always had a Buick."
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