In a move that has the medical world buzzing and fans doing a double take, Eli Lilly has teamed up with one of basketball’s biggest icons — literally — to raise awareness for one of America’s most overlooked health issues: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Shaquille O’Neal, the 7-foot-1 legend known for his dominance on the court and charisma off it, is now front and center in Lilly’s new national campaign, “Don’t Sleep On OSA.” The campaign aims to jolt Americans awake to the serious risks of untreated sleep apnea — a disorder that can cause chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, and even heart disease — yet often goes undiagnosed.
“I used to think I was invincible,” Shaq confesses in the campaign video. “But I was tired all the time. I’d fall asleep during the day, snore at night, wake up gasping. It wasn’t until someone told me, ‘Hey, you need to see a doctor,’ that I realized something was seriously wrong.”
That diagnosis came more than 15 years ago. Since then, O’Neal has been managing his condition — and now, he’s turning his experience into a wake-up call for millions of others who might be suffering in silence.
In the campaign’s 30-second spot, viewers see Shaq dozing off on the couch, struggling to open a jar of pickles, and snoring loudly — scenes that are both humorous and alarmingly relatable. “There’s nothing superhuman about ignoring OSA symptoms,” he warns. “Talk to your doctor.”
Eli Lilly’s consumer chief marketing officer, Lina Polimeni, said the partnership is about authenticity and reach. “Shaq brings credibility, relatability, and cultural power. We wanted someone who could break through stigma and spark real conversations,” Polimeni said in a statement.
That reach is exactly what Lilly needs as it doubles down on its new role in the OSA space. The company made headlines last year when its blockbuster drug Zepbound became the first prescription medicine approved to treat adults with OSA and obesity — a pairing that doctors say is more common than most realize.
To support the campaign, Lilly has launched a dedicated website filled with OSA resources, information on symptoms, and even tools to help people book a sleep study through the company’s digital pharmacy, LillyDirect. Visitors can also view O’Neal’s campaign video and learn about his personal journey.
But beyond the medical message, this campaign has cultural muscle. O’Neal isn’t just another famous face — he’s a household name with decades of credibility in sports, entertainment, and business. His presence gives the campaign something priceless: authenticity.
Eli Lilly isn’t a stranger to the basketball world either. The company already sponsors the Indiana Fever and recently partnered with WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark to promote better health awareness. The Fever’s jerseys even feature the Lilly logo — a nod to the company’s deepening relationship with professional basketball and its massive fan base.
From the court to the clinic, the connection makes sense: both arenas are about performance, endurance, and recovery. And Shaq, with his larger-than-life personality and willingness to get real about his health, might just be the perfect messenger to turn sleep apnea from a hidden struggle into a household conversation.
For millions of Americans who wake up tired and brush it off, the message couldn’t be clearer — or louder.
As Shaq puts it in his signature style:
“Don’t sleep on this. Literally.”
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