Shaquille O’Neal Recalls False Positive Drug Test at 1996 Olympics

ATLANTA, Ga. — In a recent episode of TNT’s “Inside the NBA,” Shaquille O’Neal shared a surprising story about a false positive cocaine test he experienced during the 1996 Olympics. The revelation came as the NBA announced Milwaukee Bucks power forward Bobby Portis would face a 25-game suspension for testing positive for Tramadol.

O’Neal, who played for the United States team in those Olympics, recalled the details of the incident, which took place in Atlanta. “Olympics, ’96 Atlanta. They told us not to eat before we take the drug test. You remember Chuck, they got us standing in line for 3-4 hours? I see them poppy seed muffins, I [ate them],” O’Neal explained. “Horace Balmer come into the room, he said, ‘Man, I’m disappointed.’ I had tested positive for cocaine.” His account left his fellow panelists astonished.

Portis’s suspension stems from a mix-up regarding his medication. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, clarified that Portis had a legitimate prescription for Toradol, a pain reliever, but his assistant mistakenly provided him Tramadol, a banned substance under the league’s anti-drug policy.

“Bobby never intended to ingest anything illicit, and this incident is unfortunate because he did everything correctly according to his prescription,” Bartelstein said, emphasizing his client’s commitment to the league’s rules.

O’Neal’s career in the NBA spanned 19 seasons, during which he built a reputation as one of the sport’s greatest players. Known for his dominant playing style, he is equally remembered for his playful antics, often bringing humor to the serious realm of professional basketball. Former NBA player Jason Richardson recently recounted another instance of O’Neal’s notorious pranks, recalling a lighter moment from their time in the league.

“He pulls a mouthpiece out of his ass and puts it in Lou’s locker. Then he grabs Lou’s toothbrush and stirs it in his [expletive]. Amundson unknowingly used the mouthpiece in a game. The whole bench lost it. Lou didn’t know what happened until later when we told him Shaq put it in his a*s,” Richardson explained, highlighting O’Neal’s mischievous side.

Despite these antics, Richardson noted that while O’Neal’s pranks brought laughter, they often escalated tensions among teammates. “If Shaq had played that cruel trick on me, we definitely would have ended up in a confrontation,” he said.