
| Irish Coffee: Shaquille O’Neal talks Hoopz | 02.03.11 at 12:31 pm ET |
Wake up with the Celtics and your daily dose of Irish Coffee …
During the filming of “Flavor of Love” on VH1, Nikki “Hoopz” Alexander dominated Flavor Flav in a game of one-on-one. Then she owned some dude named “Entertainer” with a flurry of profanities on “I Love Money” — another VH1 reality show.
But she’d probably have a tougher time defeating her current boyfriend, Shaquille O’Neal.
Sudbury’s most famous couple went two-on-one in an interview with The Globe’s Meredith Goldstein for a Home & Lifestyle section cover story. Here’s what we learned:
- Hoopz, 28, on Shaq, 38: “I knew he was a goofball. We’re the same. We’re both goofballs.’’
- Shaq is 7-foot-1; Hoopz is 5-foot-2. A full Nelson de la Rosa separates them.
- Hoopz is filming another reality show, based on their suburban life and her desire to become a women’s heath and self-defense guru. Like I won’t watch that.
- Shaq has a pit bull named Shamrock. Do you think the dog has a Kobe Bryant chew toy?
- Ther’s a room in Shaq’s house that features Taylor Swift and “Alice in Wonderland” posters on the wall and candy canisters everwhere. Oh, and there’s a pink bathroom, too. Thankfully, that room is Hoopz’s. Shaq calls it the “dungeon.”
- Hoopz won “Flavor of Love” Season 1, capturing Flavor Flav’s “on-camera affection” and the ultimate prize: a set of gold teeth. I think I just found my Valentine’s Day gift.
- Hoopz then took home $250,000 for winning “I Love Money,’’ a crazy reality show spinoff about the craziest VH1 reality show castoffs that could only happen in America.
- Hoopz once followed another basketball player, James “Boo” Jackson, to Tennessee. A gym gypsy of sorts, Jackson left town for another team. Hoopz stayed behind.
- Hoopz and Shaq’s first date was in Las Vegas. Luckily, it didn’t end up at The Best Little Chapel — a la Stu and Jade in “The Hangover.”
- The next few dates between Hoopz took Shaq included fishing, visiting a Waffle House and listening to music by Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift. You know, typical Shaq things.
- Shaq on Hoopz: “She’s my first female best friend, besides my mother.’’
- Shaq has a live-in chef. Unfortunately, it’s not Chef from “South Park.”
- Hoopz and Shaq watch “Spartacus” on Starz together. Loin cloths optional.
- Hoopz attends every Celtics home game. Shaq attends most, too.


























