Larger Than Life: Basketball Legend Shaquille O’Nei
Dive into the towering legacy and multifaceted journey of Shaquille O’Neal, a basketball icon whose impact transcends the courts. With four NBA Championships, three NBA Finals MVP awards, and a remarkable nineteen-year Hall of Fame career, Shaq’s presence in the sport is undeniable. Yet, his story goes beyond the hardwood, delving into thriving business ventures, engaging appearances, and insightful analyst roles that have endeared him to a diverse and ever-growing audience of fans.
Biological Didn’t Bother
Born on March 6, 1972, Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal was the only child of Lucille O’Neal and Joe Toney. At the time Shaquille was born, Lucille had just finished high school and Joe, who was an All-State guard in high school had just been denied his basketball scholarship to Seton Hall as the result of some issues.
Toney would soon be sent to prison for possession and forging checks. Upon his release from federal prison, O’Neal convinced Toney to legally give up his parental rights to their son, who was now two years old, turning them over to Phillip Harrison, a United States Army drill sergeant, who would now become Shaquille’s stepfather. Shaquille would never be shy to hold his feelings back about his estranged father, which was clearly evident in a 1994 rap song but would eventually agree to a meeting in the summer of 2016. It was there that Shaquille told Toney, “I don’t hate you, I had a good life. I had Phil.”
Basketball Genes
Known simply as “Sarge”, Phillip Harrison shared one thing in common with Shaquille’s biological father, they both played high school basketball.
Although he would often use physical discipline on Shaquille, Harrison would be a pillar in the young boy’s life and play a pivotal role in O’Neal’s basketball career at an early age by coaching his youth teams. Harrison’s basketball claim to fame didn’t start there, though, as he would often brag about the time when he played future Boston Celtics Hall of Fame center Dave Cowens in a pickup game. In 1969, Cowens, then a member of the Florida State Gators stopped by the Newark, New Jersey area rather than going to Woodstock, he joined in a local game. It was then that an errant elbow from Cowens would knock out a couple of Harrison’s teeth.
Big Boy Pants
At the peak of his NBA career, Shaquille O’Neal weighed in at 7’1″ and 325 pounds. Growing up, size would be an issue for O’Neal, especially when it came to sports.
As a kid, O’Neal once dominated a game so much, scoring thirty of his team’s forty points and using skills that Harrison had ingrained in him, to the point that a father on the opposing team walked out onto the court mid-game and removed his son from the competition yelling at O’Neal, his coach, and officials, “He’s not 10. Bullsh*t. He’s 10, he gonna be the best big man in the world.” Considering that O’Neal hovered over nearly everyone on the court at the time, standing 6’4″, the man must have been able to see into the future. By the time O’Neal turned thirteen, he would grow an additional two inches and wear size seventeen shoes.
Paying Respect
When O’Neal and his family had to relocate to San Antonio due to Harrison being restationed, he quickly established his dominance at the high school level, leading his team to a combined 68-1 record in his junior and senior seasons.
It was here that Shaq would select his infamous number 32 jersey. However, O’Neal’s original plan was to honor NBA great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and wear 33, but the school did not have that uniform number. O’Neal would see his number fluctuate a number of times after leaving Robert G. Cole High School, wearing number 33 while attending Louisiana State University and then returning to his familiar 32 when drafted by the Orlando Magic as veteran Terry Catledge had already laid claim to number 33. When O’Neal landed in Los Angeles, he would take up number 34, as Magic Johnson was 32, and during his final year playing for the Boston Celtics, he would wear 36.
Padding The Stats
During O’Neal’s sophomore season with the Louisiana State Tigers, Shaq would prove to be a man among boys.
In 1990-91, O’Neal became the first player in history to lead the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in points (27.6 per game), rebounds (14.7), blocked shots (5), and field goal percentage (62.8). Despite his impressive high school performances and freshman year, opponents still took O’Neal lightly. Darryl “Ice” Jones, Southeastern Louisiana’s big man once said, “I thought Shaq would be fat. But he’s got no fat, none whatsoever. He’s just seven feet of muscle, a muscle monster.”
Not All Dreams Are Meant To Be
When the 1992 USA Men’s Olympic Basketball team was put together, the individuals in charge looked to create the most dominant team in the history of the sport, choosing the best players possible.
With one of the twelve spots reserved for a collegiate player, the decision came down to either O’Neal or Duke star Christian Laettner. While there were many reasons to select Shaq, one of the reasons why they didn’t was due to the design of the international key, which some felt would hinder O’Neal’s abilities. Clearly, the snub weighed on O’Neal as twenty years later he stated “I was pissed off. I was jealous. But then I had to come to the realization that I was a more explosive, more powerful player, but Christian Laettner was a little more fundamentally sound than I was.” O’Neal would eventually claim his Olympic goal in 1996.
The Big Dance
Despite being one of the most dominant players on the floor in any collegiate game he played in, the 7’1″ 300 pounds O’Neal could not lead his Louisiana State Tigers to the final game of March Madness.
In fact, during the three seasons in which he was on campus, O’Neal’s teams never advanced past the second round, going 2-3 in the field of sixty-four. Although his team struggled, it was not without effort on his behalf as during his final game he dropped an impressive 36 points, which included hitting all twelve of his free throws, and added a dozen rebounds in an 89-79 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers.
Living Up To The Hype
Shaquille O’Neal’s lack of team success during his three-year NCAA run did not hinder his draft stock, as he was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic in the 1992 NBA Draft.
As a first-year pro, O’Neal grabbed the 92-93 NBA Rookie of the Year award and was named to the NBA All-Star Game as a starter, the first player since Michael Jordan was honored in 1985. As a twenty-year-old rookie, O’Neal would quickly become one of the faces of the league but occasionally struggled to hang out with his teammates for one reason. Alcohol. Unable to even handle the smell of table wine, according to former teammate Dennis Scott, O’Neal’s issues with the beverage began at a young age when he was caught drinking beer and as punishment, Phil Harrison made him drink a twelve pack. Obviously not a parenting tactic that would fly today.
MC O’Neal
During his downtime and off-season, Shaquille O’Neal pursued his passion for rap music. In 1992, O’Neal was a guest on the Arsenio Hall show and as part of his agreement for appearance, he wanted to join his favorite rap group, the Fu-Schnickens on stage, performing “What’s Up Doc? (Can We Rock).
A year later, O’Neal would release his debut album, Shaq Diesel, a platinum-certified album that featured the Fu-Schnickens and Phife Dawg and three hit singles. Shaq would release a total of five albums and make guest appearances on singles by Michael Jackson and Aaron Carter. In addition to his feature albums, O’Neal has released several diss tracks online or while performing live at clubs and in 2021 would host his own DJ set at DJ DIESEL at the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas.
Love / Hate Relationship
During O’Neal’s eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, he would lineup alongside a player who would ultimately eclipse him in popularity and league success, Kobe Bryant.
The duo would capture three straight championships, but many believe that the talented pair was capable of more, had they not let their egos get in the way. Before the pair could lead the Lakers to a three-peat, they would struggle to advance deep into the playoffs for their first three seasons together, but when the team brought in coaching legend Phil Jackson, everything clicked. If you thought Shaq was dominant on the court before, his average numbers during the 2000 NBA Finals cemented the fact with 38 points, 17 rebounds, and 45 minutes per game.
Backboard Breaker, Rule Maker
Not only would Shaquille O’Neal prove to be an overpowering force against his NBA counterparts, but he would also dominate the hoop differently. Shaquille O’Neal has unofficially broken 12.5 backboards and 2 of them live in an NBA game.
In 1993, Shaq and the Orlando Magic were battling the Phoenix Suns when the big man threw down such a powerful dunk that the basket and stanchion collapsed. After the stadium crew had to take the entire apparatus into the tunnel for some mid-game repairs, the league quickly made sure to reinforce all other hoops around the league. This wouldn’t be the only hoop that Shaq would destroy during his career as he also destroyed one in New Jersey, requiring the league to establish a new rule charging anyone who broke a rum or backboard with a technical foul.
Aspiring Thespian
Looking to establish himself as a mogul not just in the basketball world, but in other aspects of entertainment, Shaquille O’Neal began to dabble in acting.
After playing a supporting role in the popular Blue Chips film, Shaq would play the feature role in Kazaam. Ranked among one of the worst movies ever made, critics and fans clearly weren’t as impressed with O’Neal on the screen as they were on the court. While O’Neal’s next feature movie, Steel received more positive comments, it was still a box office bomb. Obviously learning from his past, Shaq has not had any feature roles since 1997 but has still managed to find his way into bit parts on various feature films and television shows including Hustle, What Women Want, The Lego Movie, and The Simpsons.
Hello My Name Is
Most people recognize him and simply refer to him as Shaq, but the fun-loving hooper has often created a variety of nicknames and alternate personas throughout his career.
Whether it is as part of his off-court ventures, “Shaq Fu” and “The Diesel/Shaq Diesel” came from his rap career and video game or from his dominance on the court, many of the nicknames are unique and fitting. In 2000, O’Neal dubbed himself “The Big Aristotle” and following his second championship with the Los Angeles Lakers, he would refer to himself as “M.D.E” (Most Dominant Ever). “The Big Fella”, another Shaq nickname didn’t just save monikers for himself as he once tagged his Miami home swimming pool “Shaqapulco” and rival San Antonio Spurs big man Tim Duncan as “The Big Fundamental”.
It’s Not Me, It’s You
The feud between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant would last long past the time that O’Neal was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Four years and two teams after being traded from LA, O’Neal would be in a Phoenix club rapping about how his former teammate was responsible for his divorce.
“I’m a horse. Kobe ratted me out. That’s why I’m getting divorced. He said Shaq gave a (woman) a mil. I don’t do that ’cause my name’s Shaquille. I love’em, I don’t leave’em. I got a vasectomy, now I can’t breed ’em.” O’Neal’s diss towards Bryant came off the heels of the Lakers guard dealing with a rape charge, commenting that O’Neal paid up to $1 million to numerous women to keep quiet about their affairs. A short time later, Shaunie O’Neal filed for divorce after five years of marriage.
His Biggest Regret
O’Neal recently opened up on The Pivot Podcast, expressing lingering regrets about his past relationships with Penny Hardaway and Kobe Bryant, as well as his divorce from Shaunie. In his memoir “Shaq Uncut: My Story,” he openly admitted that his unfaithfulness played a significant role in the end of his marriage. “It was all me,” he admitted.
“We don’t need to talk about what I was doing” he continued. “but I wasn’t protecting her and protecting those vows. Sometimes you live that double life and get caught up.” On a different podcast, Shaq admitted that he “was a serial cheater.” He added, “I’m never the guy that’s going to get up here because of my platform and fake it,” he revealed. “I did it.”
Defensive Genius
Credit former Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson for coming up with one of the more unique approaches to trying to stop Shaquille O’Neal from dominating his team (and the league).
Originally designed to be used against former Chicago Bulls forward Dennis Rodman, Nelson had one of his players purposely foul Rodman, who was a terrible free throw shooter in an attempt to earn extra possessions off of the almost guaranteed miss. The strategy, which would become known as “Hack-a-Shaq” would carry over when the Mavericks played the Los Angeles Lakers as O’Neal was a career 52.7% free throw shooter. The NBA would eventually step put a stop to the strategy in 2016 as various teams would use it against other poor shooters, grinding games to a halt and upsetting fans.
Playing Games
The world of eSports in 2010 and while he is often referred to as a big child, Shaquille O’Neal is also a very intelligent businessman. In 2016, O’Neal would join former MLB stars Alex Rodriguez and Jimmy Rollins as part of an ownership group with stakes in NRG Gaming, a leading organization of eSports athletes.
As the general manager of the Sacramento Kings’ entry in the NBA’s 2K leagues, O’Neal oversees the “Kings Guard”. Formed by Kings’ part owners Mark Mastrov and Andy Miller, NRG recruits, manages, and financially backs teams of video game enthusiasts who compete in year-round tournaments for millions of dollars in prizes.
Student Athlete
Although he left university early to pursue his professional basketball career, the decision did not stop Shaquille O’Neal from continuing his studies.
Keeping his promise to his mother, O’Neal who had the Tigers’ highest grade point average as a freshman, would earn his bachelor’s degree in general studies and a minor in political science eight years after leaving the Louisiana State University campus. The learning didn’t stop there as Shaq would also find time to earn a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix in 2005 and seven years later would be granted his Doctor of Education degree in Human Resource Development from Barry University.
Officer O’Neal
Considering how much he already had on his plate, it was amazing to hear that Shaquille O’Neal found time to pursue his interest in law enforcement. In 2005, O’Neal would be granted the honorary title of U.S. Deputy Marshal after completing the Los Angeles County Sherrif’s Reserve Academy, where he would become part of the Los Angeles Port Police reserve officer roster.
When he was traded to Miami, O’Neal would seek to become a Miami Beach reserve officer where he would be paid $1 per year. O’Neal would assist the Miami-Dade police in the arrest of two individuals charged with aggravated battery, assault, and hate crime. While he would have his special deputy honors revoked by two police departments after his Kobe Bryant rap diss, O’Neal would eventually add a reserve officer for Doral, Florida, and Jonesboro, Georgia sheriff’s deputy to his lengthy law enforcement resume.
Lover And A Fighter
As a longtime fan of professional wrestling, Shaquille O’Neal has noted that Tony Atlas, Junkyard Dog, Andre the Giant, and Brock Lesnar as among his favorite wrestlers. Starting in 1994, O’Neal would make his presence as a special guest in World Championship Wrestling, WWE, Impact Wrestling, and AEW.
In 2016 O’Neal would make his in-ring debut at WrestleMania 32 as part of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. After eliminating one wrestler, O’Neal found himself standing toe-to-toe with the 7’0″, 385-pound Big Show. After much discussion, social media hype, and planning, a match was scheduled to take place at WrestleMania 33, but it would fall through. Five years later, O’Neal would team with Jade Cargill in a mixed tag-team match against Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet on AEW Dynamite, where despite winning, would find himself crashing through a pair of tables.
From Downtown
When you watch basketball today on any level, regardless of their size, players are launching shots from outside the three-point line at an all-time high.
Whereas back in the day, power forwards and centers would often be found battling in the paint for rebounds, putbacks, and dunks, over the past two decades more and more seven-footers have taken to launching shots from a distance once reserved for smaller players. Seven-footers such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic are not only three of the better big men in the game, but also proficient three-point shooters. During Shaquille O’Neal’s nineteen years in the NBA, he attempted just twenty-two three-pointers, including a career-high five attempts during the 1994-95 season. O’Neal would only be successful on one attempt, which came in a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on February 16, 1996.