NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal undertakes to visit Uganda on one condition

Basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal has revealed he would be willing to visit Uganda — but only if one of the country’s most famous tourist activities is taken off the itinerary.

The former NBA superstar made the light-hearted admission during an interview with British-Ugandan model and ITV presenter Priscilla Anyabu, in a conversation that has since amused fans online. 

When Anyabu suggested gorilla trekking, one of Uganda’s top tourist attractions, Shaq wasted no time shutting it down.

“No! I don’t wanna do it,” O’Neal replied, before going on to explain his unusual fear. 

Pressed by Anyabu to explain why, the 7ft 1in giant shared what he described as a recurring experience in zoos around the world. According to Shaq, gorillas appear to react strongly to his presence.

“Every zoo I go to, when I come to the cage, the gorilla will be over there and all of a sudden it’s swinging around and staring at me point blank in the face,” he said. 

O’Neal joked that the animals might see him as “one of them”, raising concerns about how they would react if he encountered them in their natural habitat.

“So if I am out there in their habitat and they see me… it may be an attack. So, no,” he added.

Anyabu quickly adjusted the plan, suggesting Uganda’s rich food and culture instead. “Yeah, we can go there and eat,” Shaq agreed, joking that gorillas might be wondering why “we’re in here and you’re out there”.

The exchange ended with the pair agreeing that Uganda remains firmly on the cards — just without the gorilla trekking.