If the Harlem Shake hadn't already jumped the shark, leave it to Shaquille O'Neal to make it official.
Capturing the bizarre dance craze on tape has become a prerequisite in basketball locker rooms, especially after the Miami Heat pulled it off with surprising entertainment value, so naturally Blanche Ely (Pompano, Fla.) High invited its newest and largest fan to join them in a celebratory Harlem Shake video after winning their second straight state title.
“I didn’t even know he was there until Lance Tejada was at the free throw line and I saw this dude with some real big feet,” Blanche Ely guard Dallas Cameron told The Miami Herald following the Class 7A state title victory. “I said, ‘Gosh, that dude got some big feet.’ That is when I realized it was Shaq. He congratulated us after the game and then we told him, ‘Hey, you have to do the Harlem Shake with us.’ He said OK and then started busting some moves. I was standing right next to the camera man, just dying laughing.”
On hand to watch his home state's championship games at Central Florida's Lakeland Center, O'Neal reportedly congratulated the Tigers on a 58-50 win over Evans (Orlando, Fla.) High during the medal ceremony. Cameron captured tourney MVP honors.
Coming off that high, he and his teammates had enough confidence to not only convince Shaq to join them in their Harlem Shake video but also to mention them during Tuesday's NBA on TNT broadcasts of the Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers matchups.
“After the Harlem Shake, we asked Shaq if he would discuss our state title on TNT, and he said yes,” Cameron told The Miami Herald. “I have to make sure to watch the game.”
Thankfully, Blanche Ely waited until after winning the state title to record their Harlem Shake performance, avoiding the fate of a couple hockey teams from New York and Minnesota that had their playoff dreams cut short by suspensions for doing the dance.
Any time you can get Shaq and a bunch of high schoolers together, it's good times, especially when there are dance moves involved, and then it's probably time to stop Harlem Shaking.
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