Shaquille O’Neal Gushes Over Ben Affleck Ahead of Their New Project: ‘How Could It Get Any Better Than This?’ (Exclusive)

Who would have thought: Shaquille O’Neal is a huge fan of Ben Affleck. Can anyone blame him? Affleck is an incredible talent. During an exclusive interview with PopCulture.com, not only did O’Neal reveal that the two have been working a new commercial together, but the Hall of Fame legend couldn’t help but gush a little over the Batman actor.

“Am I shooting anymore this summer? No,” he said when asked if he was going to be in another Adam Sandler film, teasing fans on what it might take to get into a fifth Sandler movie. “But I did do a commercial with one of my other favorite people in the whole world, and he’s so beautiful: Ben Affleck.” While O’Neal couldn’t go into much detail regarding the commercial, he did note that Affleck once directed him, something he was in awe of. “That dude is awesome. I was like, ‘Hey look, I know I’m Shaq, but I’m still a person.’ So I’ve been knowing Ben since we were both 18, 19 years old, but I was just saying to myself, ‘I can’t believe I’m shooting and getting directed by Ben Affleck. How could it get any better than this?’”

Affleck has been making headlines lately ever since he and his ex-fiancée Jennifer Lopez rekindled their romance. Shortly after Lopez broke off her engagement with Alex Rodriguez this spring, it didn’t take long before she and the 48-year-old started hanging out again. The sweet pair have been pictured together ever since and onlookers are all for it.

While O’Neal may be a bit of a fan of Affleck’s, there are too many to count who are big fans of the NBA champion. While O’Neal is fully aware of that, he doesn’t necessarily like to think of himself as a role model — rather, a “real model.” “That’s what I always try to do, the right thing, and say the right thing. And I also say to them, if you see me make a mistake, learn from my mistake so you can be better than me,” he explained.

“A lot of people use the word ‘role model’ but for me, it’s ‘real model.’ I never want to play a role in people’s life. My mother’s favorite saying is, ‘Costs you nothing to be nice.’ That’s the first rule and principle I live by. [The] second rule and principle I live by is brighten somebody’s day up.” He noted his awareness of how incredibly blessed he is, which is why he pays it forward all the time. Recently, he bought a mother a laptop she needed for her son, and he said he loves helping people out.

O’Neal’s been helping people save on car insurance since he became a spokesperson for The General six years ago, and he was excited to announce that the company recently bought the naming rights for NRG’s Rocket League team, making it the first Rocket League naming rights agreement in the history of North America. Fans will be able to vote for the team’s jersey starting July 6 through July 20 on their official website, and the final jersey will be revealed in August.