Lakers Legend Shaq Reacts to ‘Devastating’ L.A. Fires: ‘My Heart Goes Out’ (Exclusive)

NBA great Shaquille O’Neal, a Los Angeles staple as a superstar of the Lakers for eight seasons, is speaking to “Extra’s” Mona Kosar Abdi about the devastating fires that have ravaged the city.

Mona spoke with Shaq, who shared, “I have a couple of very close friends, [who] lost their homes. My heart goes out to them and their families.”

Over two decades after he left Los Angeles, the landscape has forever changed.

“It’s a devastating watch, but my heart goes out to everyone. It’s very troubling to watch,” Shaq added. “It’s something when you’ve been over there, 20 years, you've seen it every now and then, devastating... a lot of my collogues lost their property. They lost memories.”

With the wildfires, many L.A. residents have come together to help those in need. Shaq commented, “It’s good to see, but you don’t want to see people's houses burned down. That’s the troubling part.”

He went on, “I’ve had a lot of people lose their homes. They say they go to their neighborhoods and their whole neighborhood is wiped out… but I know the people of L.A. will stand by their comrades and we will definitely get through this.”

Like so many celebrities, Shaq plans to do his part in helping SoCal recover, but don't expect it to land in the headlines. 

He explained, “I’ve never felt comfortable in times like this getting on my Instagram, showing you what I’m doing. I’d rather just do most of the work unseen. If I do get credit, I only want to get credit from my mother. She likes when I do acts of kindness.”

Today, O’Neal lives in North Texas, but this former reserve deputy's heart remains with the over 150,000 displaced victims and the heroic first responders in a city he will always call home.

Praising the city, he said, “A big up to the volunteers... the fireman and police officers... We will definitely get through this.”