"I am not going to take credit for the $25,000" - Shaquille O'Neal clarifies report about him spending $25,000 in NYC restaurant, says it was only $2,500

Shaquille O'Neal went viral last week for allegedly spending $25,000 on dinner and tips at a New York City restaurant. However, O'Neal has insisted that the actual sum was only around $2,500.

On an episode of "The Big Podcast with Shaq," the LA Lakers legend revealed that he did not pick up a $25,000 tab at Jue Lan Club. He said that he only paid around $2,500 for the tips of the restaurant staff. He appreciated going viral for his good deed but wanted to clarify the bill amount.

"It wasn't $25,000. I love viral moments, but it was $2,500," O'Neal said. "Always give the waiters big tips because I appreciate them. I always ask them and give them the ability to tell me what they want. I asked them, 'What do you want? Biggest tip you've ever had.'"

He added:

"Because I want them to remember me. I always want to leave the impression that I am a nice guy. I am not going to take credit for the $25,000. It was a great viral moment, but it was $2,500."

Carlos Greer of PageSix first reported O'Neal's generous gesture last week. Greer said that O'Neal wanted to keep his good deed a secret. The Hall of Fame center was also rumored to be on a date at Jue Lan Club. The NYC restaurant is famous for serving Beijing chicken, shrimp tempura and chicken satay.

As for the identity of O'Neal's date, the lady in question was Dr. Jaime Johnston, CEO of Kin Essentials. Dr. Johnson confirmed to PageSix that she had dinner with O'Neal, but said that it was not a date. The dinner was only a business meeting. O'Neal also confirmed on "The Big Podcast with Shaq" that his dinner with Dr. Johnson was not a date.

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Shaquille O'Neal did a lot of good deeds over the last 2 weeks

Shaquille O'Neal at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game

Giving a $2,500 tip was not the only good deed Shaquille O'Neal did in the last two weeks. The four-time NBA champion bought a guitar for a kid who agreed to sing a duet with him.

In a post by Overtime on Twitter, O'Neal can be seen signing Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone."

Moreover, he helped unveil two projects in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey. He first presented the newly renovated Comebaq Court on Hawthorne Avenue, as reported by ABC New York. The city's plan is for the Newark youth to have a recreation programme to keep them engaged in the community and stay healthy.

The other project was a 33-storey mixed income residential tower project called "Shaq Tower 2." The building will be constructed on Edison Place and will be the largest mixed-income project in the state. The project will create around 500 construction jobs and 50 permanent jobs. The residential tower is expected to have 370 affordable apartments.