NBA star and host Shaquille O’Neal worried fans when he recently shared a photo of himself on social media in a hospital bed hooked up to machines.
O'Neal responded to questions about context for the photo, with a little humor.
“To all the people who are concerned. First let me start off by saying thank you,” he wrote on Instagram.
The message was posted with a photo of him lifting his shorts to expose his derrière. O'Neal joked, "Just had to get some BBL work done aka #hipreplacement. but yes I am fine no need to worry."
"And lastly I am fine," he reiterated.
In O'Neal's joking response, "BBL" refers to the popular Brazilian butt lift procedure.
On Sunday the basketball star posted a photo to Twitter of himself in a hospital bed with his eyes closed and his head back with little to no context for why he was there. He wrote simply, "I'm always watching," but there wasn't a television in the photo. He tagged a Turner Sports account and an account for Candace Parker, a former University of Tennessee WNBA player, who is now with the Las Vegas Aces.
Parker replied to the tweet writing, "Love ya big Fella," with a red heart emoji.
It was unclear why O'Neal responded to fans about his Twitter post on Instagram instead of the same platform.
CBS Sports also reported that O'Neal was in the hospital for a procedure related to his hip and that he was recovering well.
O'Neal recently lost 40 pounds, he told Entertainment Tonight, and turned 51 this month, People magazine reported.
He has worked as a host and sports analyst for Turner Sports for over 10 years.
