Entertainment Sports Shaquille O'Neal Says He Voted for the 'First Time' Ever: 'It Feels Good' Shaquille O'Neal did not reveal who he voted for president By Georgia Slater Georgia Slater Twitter Georgia Slater is a writer/reporter on the Parents team at PEOPLE. People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 10, 2020 06:00 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Shaquille O'Neal. Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal may have accomplished a lot in his 48 years, but there's one thing the Hall of Famer has never done: vote. During Wednesday's episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, however, the basketball icon revealed that he finally cast a ballot for the 2020 presidential election. "I voted for the first time, and it feels good," O'Neal revealed, noting that he recently submitted his absentee ballot. Shocked to hear the confession, co-host John Kincade, exclaimed, "I can't believe it!" O'Neal said a major factor in casting his ballot this year was that he had become more involved in various voting campaigns. Snoop Dogg Plans to Vote for First Time Ever: 'I Can't Stand to See This Punk in Office' "You know I always like being honest on my podcast. I've never voted before, America. But, now I'm doing all these voting campaigns, and you know one thing I never like to do is be a hypocrite," he explained. The athlete did not reveal who he voted for. O'Neal also expressed that he had "no excuse" for not voting in previous elections and that he knew he might get "roasted" for admitting his voting history. Asked why he never voted before, the former Los Angeles Lakers star said part of it was that he "never understood the electoral college system." He then brought up the 2016 election to explain his confusion, citing that the then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but still lost to President Donald Trump. "You're going to get buried for this," Kincade said. "I'm glad you voted, though. That's awesome. You were very honest there. "I can't believe you didn't vote for Obama," he added. Shaquille O'Neal Tells His Kids Kobe Bryant Stories to Inspire Them to 'Maximize Their Potential' Recently the basketball legend teamed up with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum to launch the #MyStartingFive challenge. The initiative hopes to encourage people to nominate five friends on social media and remind them to vote. O'Neal also partnered with former first lady Michelle Obama on her voting initiative, When We All Vote. With the election around the corner, O'Neal has continued to encourage people to go out and vote. "It has never been more important to exercise your right to vote," O'Neal wrote Tuesday.