In an interview, Salma Hayek hilariously recalled her disbelief at a party when she saw the 7’1″ NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal being piggybacked by his tiny girlfriend, reality star Hoopz. Former basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal towers over most people at 7’1″ tall and over 300 pounds. Meanwhile, his girlfriend Nicole “Hoopz” Alexander is a diminutive 5’2″.
When Hoopz gives Shaq a piggyback ride, she looks like a small child carrying a giant. Hayek wasn’t the only one doing double-takes at the party.
Salma Hayek Stunned By Nicole Hoopz Carrying Ex Shaquille O’Neal
“My mouth just dropped open,” Hayek told Entertainment Tonight. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Shaq is so enormous and his girlfriend is only like 5’2″.”
Hayek said watching the mismatched couple roam the party with Hoopz perched atop Shaq’s back made for a truly surreal sight. “She carried him,” she exclaimed. “I’ll never forget it.”
It was really sweet to see them connecting as a couple there,” Hayek told Entertainment Tonight about observing O’Neal and Alexander at a lively industry gathering.
The unlikely couple first met on the set of Shaq’s reality TV show “Shaq Vs” in 2009, where Hoopz competed in dance and athletic challenges against the basketball legend.
Salma Hayek shared the funny incident and said
“I was with my husband and of course, for him, it’s all a little bit more strange when he comes with his crazy guys, came with his girlfriend, ex-girlfriend now, Nikki who’s shorter than me and she carried him. It was not even physically possible and they had all figured it out because she stood up and said come on come on, he took her shoes off and he got on top of her but his legs were so long and he went like this, he could touch the ground, so he had to put them off.”
Hayek called their enduring relationship “inspirational”, showing “true love transcends physical barriers. “They began dating shortly after that, but unfortunately now have been exes.
Lasting Bond Despite Differences
While an undeniably odd pairing on the surface, O’Neal and Hoopz had forged a real connection.
Former basketball pro-Shaq towers over his girlfriend Hoopz at 7’1″ tall to her 5’2″ stature. But Hayek noted their massive height difference didn’t appear awkward at the party.
“Just two people who genuinely care for each other, going strong through the years. I give them tremendous credit for staying so real.” Seeing the pair’s normal rapport left an endearingly lasting impression on Hayek.
When Salma Hayek saw 7’1″ Shaquille O’Neal being piggybacked by his 5’2″ girlfriend Hoopz at a Hollywood party, she couldn’t believe her eyes—the shocking height difference between the basketball giant and the petite reality star made for an unforgettable sight. Hayek called them an inspirational modern-day Beauty and the Beast.
Source: Youtube
