Shaquille O’Neal has added a very different title to his résumé: honorary FBI Special Agent.
The NBA Hall of Famer received the honorary distinction during the graduation ceremony for the FBI National Academy’s Session 299 on Sept. 17 at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
FBI Director Kash Patel presented the honor to O’Neal during a ceremony attended by 265 law enforcement professionals from across the country.
Patel highlighted O’Neal’s longstanding support for law enforcement and the communities served by police agencies.
“This session is historic — FBI was honored to be joined by one of the best supporters of law enforcement in the country — @Shaq — who graduated with this session and became an honorary FBI Special Agent,” Patel said in a statement shared on social media.
The distinction is honorary, but it adds another chapter to O’Neal’s unusually extensive relationship with law enforcement.
Since retiring from the NBA, the four-time champion has taken on several law-enforcement roles. In 2005, he was sworn in as a reserve officer with the Miami Beach Police Department and has also held reserve positions with the Los Angeles Port Police and Doral Police Department in Florida.
O’Neal has also taken on community-focused leadership responsibilities.
Late last year, he was appointed community relations chief for the Henry County Police Department in Georgia, further expanding his involvement with police-community outreach.
The 7-foot-1 former center has frequently used his celebrity profile to participate in youth programs and community initiatives involving law enforcement.
The FBI National Academy itself is a specialized training program for experienced law enforcement leaders. The 10-week program includes coursework in areas such as intelligence theory, forensic science, management science and law, alongside physical training.
O’Neal’s participation in Session 299 therefore put him alongside law enforcement professionals undergoing the academy’s formal program, while his own FBI designation remains honorary rather than a standard federal law-enforcement appointment.
For the basketball legend, the honor adds another badge to a post-NBA career that has increasingly crossed into public service, community relations and law enforcement.
