Former Lakers Staffer Reveals Shaq’s Champagne Celebration Mishap That Left Someone Injured

When an NBA team clinches a championship, the celebration spills far beyond the court. Players, coaches, and even locker room attendants get swept up in the euphoria, reveling in the culmination of a grueling season. For some, the highlight is touching the Larry O’Brien Trophy. For others, it might be a more unexpected—and painful—memory.

That’s the case for Jason Wagers, better known as “Kid Jay,” now a cohost of Byron Scott’s Fast Break. Back in 2001, when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers to secure the NBA title, Jay was working as a locker room attendant. Amid the chaos of the post-game celebration, he found himself on the receiving end of a champagne mishap courtesy of none other than Shaquille O’Neal.

A Championship Memory—With a Twist

The story resurfaced when comedian Aries Spears criticized today’s NBA players for donning goggles during champagne celebrations—a trend started by Ray Allen after the Miami Heat’s 2013 championship. Jay was quick to point out that things were different in his day.

“We won our championship in Philly,” Jay recalled. “And we didn’t have goggles. And Shaq, he says, ‘Jay, grab me some champagne bottles. I gotta do this interview. Have ’em ready for when I walk in.’ I said, ‘I got you, big fella.’”

As Shaq returned to the locker room, Jay was right in the thick of the celebration. “I’m standing right there. I’m being sprayed and everything,” he continued. “As soon as he comes in, of course, all the other players, they’re just shooting the champagne all in his face. I handed him the bottles, and he raises the bottles in his hands, he’s getting squirted and squirted, and drops one of the bottles.”

A Painful Souvenir

What happened next was straight out of a cartoon. “Now [O’Neal’s] 7’2″; I’m 5-foot-9. Bottle, BIIIING!” Jay exclaimed, pointing to a spot just above his right eye. “I got a permanent scar right here, and I literally damn near bled out right there in Philadelphia.”

For years, fans have remembered Allen Iverson’s legendary step-over Tyronn Lue in Game 1 of those Finals as the most iconic—and perhaps humiliating—moment. But for Jay, the real sting came postgame.

No Lawsuit, Just Bragging Rights

Byron Scott, the former Lakers coach and Jay’s podcast cohost, joked, “You could be a very wealthy man right now. ‘Shaq dropped a bottle on my head!’” While Jay never pursued any financial compensation, he does have a unique story and a scar to prove it.

He might not have been a player, nor did he receive a championship ring, but Jay takes pride in being part of a wilder era of NBA celebrations. “I know about the ‘no goggles,’” he declared triumphantly, contrasting his experience with today’s more safety-conscious celebrations.