Shaq's Greatest Acting Performances In Commercials, Ranked

    The award for best "Shaq-tor" goes to...

    Jeremy Hayes
    by Jeremy Hayes

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    Shaquille O'Neal is in a lot of commercials...like...a lot of commercials. This is a list to compile his greatest acting performances in visual advertising.

    RKO Radio Pictures

    NOTE: There are a lot of Shaq commercials. A lot. I narrowed them down based on YouTube access, and after weeks of research, watching endless Shaq commercial videos... I picked the top 20.

    Food rations are low. Morale has hit rock bottom. I close my eyes and see Shaq promoting something. I wake up from nightmares of Shaq bursting out of my closet door with red eyes, screaming, "Did you try this new flavor topping?" Earlier this week, I even called my own cat "Shaq" by accident...and then she proceeded to yell, "Can you dig it?!" which led to Shaq, once again, bursting through my closet door and me waking up from the same nightmare.

    It is all an endless cycle, and please just know, I tried my best with this list.

    20. TNT

    Shaq flexes in classroom
    TNT / Via youtube.com

    Shaq in Spanish...what could go wrong?

    Flex on them, Shaq. This commercial would foreshadow Shaq's career with TNT, or is it just the mastermind Shaq-Psychic speaking it into existence?

    Either way, pretty funny commercial, although the Spanish sounds like it can use some work. 

    19. The General

    Shaq smiles while CGI General dunks a basketball behind him
    The General Car Insurance / Via youtube.com

    Shaq goes to the General to save some time and show off his acting range.

    My mind was blown when I was told that Shaq was standing in front of a green screen. He sold it so well with compelling acting. What's next — someone's going to tell me the General isn't real?

    18. Epson Printers

    Shaq looks in awe at white paper
    EPSON / Via youtube.com

    Shaq also does printer commercials. Why? Because he can.

    This man is never not amazed by the product he is selling. That's a hall-of-famer right there.

    17. Carnival Cruises

    Shaq sings in front of green screen of beach waves
    Carnival Cruise Line

    Shaq knocks this song out of the park to get people to go on a cruise.

    It's 15 seconds, but man, Shaq's (totally his) voice brought a tear to my eye. Plus, the costume design for this advertisement was somewhere toward 200K, but I can't confirm that.

    16. Icy Hot

    Shaq in black and white
    Icy Hot / Via youtube.com

    Shaq brings the fire (and ice) to acting.

    In this Icy Hot commercial, Shaq reminds everyone that he can take on a more serious tone. Seriously, Shaq said, "Rise from pain," and I literally was ready to run through a brick wall. 

    15. Buick

    Shaq in a car and points at the camera
    Buick / Via youtube.com

    Shaq oozes charisma in this Buick commercial and shows it is even comfortable for a big man.

    Maybe the best choice of ad by the Big Shamrock. If Shaq is comfortable in this car, then there is enough space for you. Genius.

    Plus, Shaq does a good job with his lines. Top-notch execution. Top notch.

    14. Pepsi Big Slam

    Shaq with an earring, smiling
    Pepsi

    Shaq's Pepsi Big Slam commercial is like a time capsule and foreshadowed this man's stardom in commercials.

    Past the VHS quality of this commercial, Shaq shows why he was and still might be the biggest personality in sports.

    13. Papa John's Shaq-a-roni

    Shaq on an iPad screen taped to a pizza box
    Papa John's / Via youtube.com

    Shaq gives back to the community in the form of Papa John's Shaq-a-roni pizza.

    The gift of Shaq keeps on giving.

    This time, in the form of a greeting from the big man himself. A silly commercial in a much-needed rebrand for Papa John's.

    12. Age of Beard

    Shaq dressed like a middle schooler
    Age of Beard

    Shaq has beard mojo! Beard mojo! Beard mojo!

    Some of the best child actors in any Shaq commercial, but let's be honest, who is elevating who? #NoChildCanDefeatTheShaq

    Plus, the man can pull off a fake beard.

    11. The General (again)

    Shaq dressed like a woodland hermit
    The General Insurance / Via youtube.com

    Shaq in this does his best Revenant impression in the woods.

    Maybe the best commercial by the General. Shaq proved he doesn't need the General to score a bucket on commercials. Leo DiCaprio could never.

    10. Forto Coffee

    Shaq sips some coffee in bathroom
    FORTO Coffee / Via youtube.com

    Shaq makes a shot of coffee look like a baby bottle in his hands.

    A look inside Shaq's morning routine proves he is willing to dabble in both fictional and nonfictional roles. The Academy is really wasting everyone's time with those lesser actors.

    9. Epson Rapid Receipt Scanner

    Shaq uses a leaf blower in a work room
    EPSON / Via youtube.com

    Shaq breaks out a surprise leaf blower to sell a receipt scanner.

    He really did make it look like a piece of cake. Shaqel Day-Lewis really shows how easy this "Rapid Receipt Scanner" is to use.

    8. The General (a third time!)

    Shaq sips drink next to little kid at a lunch table
    The General Insurance / Via youtube.com

    Shaq and his friend are the cool kids at the lunch table.

    The General delivers another gem. This time Shaq doesn't let Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson sit at the cool kids' table. His translation of the young lad's satisfied "aaah" is textbook. The Big Shaqthurity is batting a thousand. 

    7. Frosted Flakes

    Shaq and Tony the Tiger Zoom call
    Kellogs / Via youtube.com

    Shaq brings out the best acting from Tony the Tiger that we have seen in ages.

    Don't lie. Tony is stiff and has one line he delivers with any charisma. Not like Shaq, who brings his A-game all day. Heck, he even says, "They're great!" with more gusto.

    6. American Express

    Kendrick Lamar and Shaq shop in small soap store
    American Express / Via youtube.com

    Shaq and Kendrick Lamar shop small in this "American Express" commercial, and it leads to a hilarious, unscripted moment.

    The Big Shaqtus does a great job reacting authentically in this commercial, and the smack of soap on his head was the icing on the cake.

    5. ESPN

    Inside an RV, Shaq mean mugs his scrabble opponents
    ESPN / Via youtube.com

    Shaq's Scrabble skills are limitless and Shaqtastic.

    Maybe the funniest commercial Shaq has blessed planet Earth with. The delivery of "don't worry about it" might be the best Shaq acting in a single moment...ever.

    4. SportsCenter

    Shaq carries a mascot down a ladder.
    ESPN / Via youtube.com

    Shaq rescues a cat, and audiences everywhere weep in a "This is Sportscenter" TV spot.

    Not all Shaq's wear capes. In this commercial, Shaq shows off his athleticism by carrying a very heavy cat down a ladder.

    The cat was later identified as LSU's mascot. We reached out for a comment, but the cat said he had no comment right meow.

    3. Gold Bond

    Shaq holds a gold bond spray bottle
    Gold Bond / Via youtube.com

    Shaq's Gold Bond commercials are the stuff of meme legend.

    The shimmy. The facial expressions. All too good. No notes. Just enjoy.

    2. Papa John's (again)

    Shaq with a wig and mustache
    Papa John's / Via youtube.com

    Shaq's shocking reveal proves he is a master of disguises.

    When he said, "I'm the new guy," it totally threw me off the scent. It was only until the reveal that I recognized Superman.

    10/10 for the twist.

    1. Vitamin Water

    Shaq poses for horse race photo-finish
    Vitamin Water / Via youtube.com

    Shaq as a jockey for this Vitamin Water commercial might be the movie we all desperately need.

    Seriously, give me a movie where 7'2" Shaquille O'Neal is an aspiring jockey with his horse, "Chunk of Love." It sounds like an SNL-produced film, and I'd love it.

    Of course, this whole list was tongue-in-cheek, but the joke's on everyone else...Shaq keeps getting paid.

    What is your favorite Shaq commercial? Is there another athlete/celebrity you weirdly see a lot in commercials lately? Comment below!