Shaq Passed On A Starbucks Deal Because ‘Black People Don’t Drink Coffee’

Shaquille O’Neal’s presence outside of the basketball court has always been pretty strong as we’ve seen his face on Pepsi ads, Taco Bell commercials, he even has his own cream soda.

One thing you absolutely never saw him in was a Starbucks commercial because “Black people don’t drink coffee,” according to Shaq Diesel.

In an interview on the sports show In Depth With Graham Bensinger, Shaq said in his playing days, he was offered an endorsement deal from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, but he politely turned it down because he didn’t dig it.

According to O’Neal, Schultz wanted to grow the Starbucks brand in black communities with help from the basketball star, but Shaq wasn’t interested in the coffee business.

Shaq said in the interview:

“Growing up in my household, never seen a black person drink coffee. I looked at the great Howard Schultz in his face and said, ‘Black people don’t drink coffee, sir. I don’t think it’s going to work.'”

Obviously, Shaq said he really regrets it, as he probably realized that black people do drink coffee, but at the time, he was not going to endorse something he didn’t fully believe in.

While he might have missed out on a huge Starbucks deal, he can rest well knowing he’s successfully selling foot powders with Gold Bond. At least it’s something he believes in.

Watch Shaq talk about his Starbucks experience on Yahoo.