Shaquille O’Neal announces his plan to run for sheriff in 2020

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal announced last week that he’s running for sheriff in 2020.

The former Lakers great and current TNT basketball analyst told WXIA-TV Atlanta that he hasn’t decided where he will run for office just yet. He has homes in Georgia and Florida.

But he does have a plan for when he does get the job.

“My style is going to be to surround myself with guys that have been doing it way longer than I’ve been doing it, surround myself with smarter people,” O’Neal said. “And I know it will be successful.”

The Hall of Famer certainly seems to have the right personality to run for public office.

“I’m a guy that speaks all languages,” he said. “I can throw on a suit and have a conversation with Bill Gates, I can go in the ‘hood and talk to the homies, and talk to the children. And I know how to run the team.”

Shaq often has talked of his admiration for law enforcement officers. He is an honorary deputy in Georgia’s Clayton County and has been a reserve police officer in Los Angeles and several other jurisdictions.

“This is not about politics for me,” O’Neal said. “It’s something that I always wanted to do. It’s just about bringing people closer together. When I was coming up, people loved and respected the police, the deputies, and I want to be the one to bring that back, especially in the community that I serve.”

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Former Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal is all smiles after the unveiling of his statue outside Staples Center.

  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Confetti falls as Lakers great Shaquille O’Neal and members of his family unveil his statue outside Staples Center.

  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Lakers great Shaquille O’Neal is joined by former teammate Kobe Bryant and former coach Phil Jackson during the unveiling of his statue outside Staples Center.

  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Lakers fans mill around a large inflatable likeness of former Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal before the unveiling of his statue outside Staples Center.

  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Fans gather outside of Staples Center for the unveiling of a statue of Lakers great Shaquille O’Neal.

  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Future Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, left, shares a light moment with another Lakers legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, right, after the unveiling of O’Neal’s statue outside Staples Center.

  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Shaquille O’Neal, left, poses for pictures with former teammates after the unveiling of his statue outside Staples Center.

  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii

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