NBA-Shaq praises LA, vows to help wildfire relief efforts

By Rory Carroll

LOS ANGELES, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Lakers great Shaquille O'Neal said he feels deeply for those displaced by the massive wildfires that have turned entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles to ash and said he was working behind the scenes to help relief efforts.

The four-time NBA champion, in addition to being one of the most dominant big men of all time, is a formidable philanthropist who recently received a humanitarian award from the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville.

"My heart goes out to everyone who has been impacted by the fires," O'Neal told Reuters in an interview.

"It's just so troubling to watch. I think about not only my people who are close to it but everybody. I feel their pain," he said.

The death toll from the fires rose by one on Tuesday to 25, according to the Los Angeles medical examiner's office. The estimate of structures damaged or destroyed held steady at over 12,000, portending a Herculean rebuilding effort ahead.

Lakers first-year head coach JJ Redick was among those who lost their homes in the massive Pacific Palisades blaze and the team was forced to postpone two home games last week due to fires before returning to the court on Monday.

O'Neal said he was encouraged to see how people and organizations in Los Angeles have come together to support each other during the unprecedented crisis.

Twelve LA pro sports teams including the Lakers on Monday pledged to donate a combined $8 million to relief efforts.

"I'm glad that they're stepping up," he said. "LA has always been a very powerful city."

O'Neal, whose foundation focuses on helping underserved youth find pathways to success, said he is doing his part but does not want to draw attention to himself.

"In my line of work, I like doing 75% of things unseen," he said.

"We're already putting some things in motion, but I'm not going to be talking about it because this is stuff that you are supposed to do anyway, especially if you're fortunate as I am."

(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles
Editing by Bill Berkrot)

((Rory.Carroll@thomsonreuters.com; 503-830-8017;))