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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center in Istanbul on Jan. 20, 2026, according to photos shared on the Turkish president’s official social media account.
A photo of the meeting was shared on President Erdogan’s official social media account. The photographs show Erdogan and O'Neal standing on a basketball court, holding basketballs and posing together, with no accompanying written statement explaining the context.
The post suggests a casual and friendly moment rather than a formal event, and no official agenda or follow-up details were released.
Shaquille O'Neal is widely known internationally as a former National Basketball Association (NBA), champion and one of the most influential players in the history of the sport.
His appearance alongside President Erdogan naturally drew attention due to his global profile, especially among American and European audiences familiar with professional basketball.
While the post did not provide information on when or why the meeting took place, it highlighted the symbolic nature of the encounter, linking Türkiye’s political leadership with a globally recognized sports figure through a single visual moment.
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