Former Celtic Shaquille O'Neal launches supersized gummy candies

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most accomplished players in league history. O'Neal is four-time champion and was named to the All-Star team 15 times in his long playing career, which included a brief stint as a member of the Boston Celtics during the 2010-2011 season.

O'Neal's time in Boston was marred by injuries, forcing him to ultimately retire from basketball in 2011. However, Shaq did pick up a nickname during his time in green, adding "Big Shamrock" to his long list of monikers. And now O'Neal is reviving that title as part of his latest retirement venture. The big man is rolling out supersized gummy candies that celebrate his time in the league and his many stops around the NBA. This includes a green shamrock as a nod to his Celtics roots.

Celtics Wire was able to learn a bit more about the new "Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies," and had a chance to sample the new candies.

The project is a collaboration between O'Neal and the Hershey Company. According to a press release shared with Celtics Wire, these two partners are calling the gummies a "giant leap in candy innovation," a playful hint at the size of the treats themselves.

Each individual candy is much larger than a traditional gummy bear or other comparable confectionary. Instead, the Shaq gummies are several inches cross, closer to the size of an American half dollar coin.

At 7-foot-1 and a playing weight over 300 pounds, O'Neal's size gave him a massive competitive advantage as a player. The candies, now available to retailers across the United States, play up that theme.

The candies aren't just supersized, but come in three distinct shapes. First, a shamrock to celebrate his time in Boston. There's also a cactus, a reference to his days as a member of the Phoenix Suns and his nickname "the Shaqtus," and a gummy that is just a cartoon version of O'Neal's likeness. That version is meant to evoke yet another nickname, "Diesel."

The candies come in multiple flavors, and there is also an entire line of sour versions of the gummies. Upon review, Celtics Wire found the original versions of the treats don't taste very different from other similar candies. In fact, the sour Shaq gummies are on the mild side as far as tart candies go. Instead, it's the size and the shapes of the treats that are what make them stand out. That's by design.

“I’m just a big kid at heart," O'Neal said in the press release. "I love making people smile and having fun--that’s why I created Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies. So go ahead, bite my head off. Life’s too short not to have fun!”

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