NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal Makes Announcement on Monday

And in October 2025, O’Neal also partnered with Eli Lilly and Company to help launch a campaign aimed at raising awareness about obstructive sleep apnea called “Don’t Sleep on OSA.” However, O’Neal’s partnership with the pharmaceutical company did not end there.

On Monday, amid the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, O’Neal and Eli Lilly and Company announced the launch of the Team USA Athlete Recovery Program. The new initiative aims to “provide targeted rehabilitation support for athletes managing complex or extended recovery needs,” with the goal of helping guide them toward a potential return to their respective sports.

"Ciao de Milano," O'Neal said. "I'm here with Lilly to help launch something I'm really proud to be a part of. It's called the Team USA Athlete Recovery Program in partnership with Lilly, a multi-year commitment to support Team USA in its efforts to give injured athletes on the road to recovery. I've dealt with injuries my whole career and I know recovery is what makes comeback stories possible. Putting help first, that's how you keep going. In the pursuit of better health, you guessed it, that's never over."

While O’Neal may be the face of the new program, Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, chief medical officer of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, also shared additional details about the new initiative.

"Every Team USA athlete faces unique challenges on the road to recovery," Finnoff said. "The program provides the expertise, coordinated care, and support to help them navigate these journeys, whether returning to sport or finding their next chapter. Together with our partner Lilly, we're proud to share these stories and inspire fans around the world."