Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Shaq!
Known for being one of the greatest players in the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal’s huge posture and even bigger personality made him one of the most recognized people on the planet. He is not only a master at basketball, but he also is a clever businessman with a master’s degree in business!
Shaquille O’Neal – Early Life
Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal was born on March 6, 1972, in Newark. His childhood wasn’t a bed of roses, as he was raised by a single mom Lucille O’Neal. His father, Joe Toney, used to play basketball and was fairly talented but his inability to regulate drug intake turned out to be detrimental and he ended up in jail. After he got back he didn’t pursue a relationship with his son.
Fortunately, Lucille found support in the arms of Jamaican Army Sergeant, Phillip A. Harrison. Joe Toney even gave the parental rights to Harrison, to completely cut his ties with the family.
Shaquille O Neal lived in a shady neighborhood as a kid and his parents did everything in their power, for Shaq not to turn into a criminal. After school, he went to practice shooting in Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which was an organization created specifically to keep endangered children off the streets.
O’Neal’s stepfather Phillip’s career made the family move a lot, at one point even packing everything and going to Germany. When Shaquille was a teenager they got back to the US. They settled in San Antonio, where Shaquille started to play in a school basketball team.
Shaquille was a very tall kid and when he turned 16 he was 6 ft 10 inches tall. With such size, years of amateur practice and innate talent he was an obvious threat on the court. During his senior year, he led the team to win state championships. He was a huge fan of Kareem Abdul Jabbar and wanted to wear the same number on the jersey as his idol.
Unfortunately, the school hadn’t had a jersey with 33, so Shaq rested on 32, not knowing that a few years later, students of Robert G. Cole High School will go to hell and back to get the same number on the jersey as him.
Shaquille O’Neal – College Career
Many of the players who choose to attend college are doing this just because they want to be drafted into the NBA but Shaq took education seriously. After high school, he did a business degree at Louisiana State University and played on their basketball team. He was named two times All-American, two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, and received many awards.
To excel in the NBA he had to drop out of University but he finished his business bachelor’s degree in 2000 as a fulfillment of the promise he made to his mother. Furthermore, he managed to do his Master’s Degree and in 2012 became a Doctor of Education!
Shaquille O’Neal – NBA career
In the 1992 NBA draft, Shaquille O’Neal became the first overall pick for the Orlando Magic. In his rookie season, he was chosen an All-Star, a second rookie to ever be chosen, which was made precedence by Michael Jordan.
Shaquille O’Neal – Orlando Magic
In his second season with Orlando Magic, the team went to the playoffs for the first time ever in franchise history. The subsequent season was also very successful. In 1995 while playing for Orlando Magic, Shaq scored his one, and only one to this day, three-point shot. Unfortunately, the 1995-96 Shaq spent resting and regenerating since he became injured early on.
Shaquille O’Neal – Olympics
Shaq had a bone to pick with Orlando’s head coach Brian Hill. He left the team with a condition that he will only go back if they fire Brian Hill. His requirements weren’t met, also his price point was ridiculed by the media because Shaq didn’t sell himself short. After he got better from the injury, he joined the 1996 Olympic basketball team and won a gold medal. He definitely wouldn’t back down after Olympic success.
Shaquille O’Neal – Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers offered Shaq more than he asked for, 121 million dollars. He took that deal, like a real businessman. At first, the team was on a great road to NBA championships but unfortunately, Shaq was injured again. The season played with the Lakers was rather successful and Shaq could show his skills but he needed a partner in crime to take the team to championships.
In 1996 Los Angeles Lakers traded for teenage Kobe Bryant and this started an era of Shaq and Kobe. They were an amazing duo right from the start, even though the start was shortened by the 1998-99 NBA lockout.
In 1999 Los Angeles Lakers won and made the playoffs and the duo of O’Neal and Bryant went head to head with another great pair, the Twin Towers – Tim Duncan and David Robinson. The San Antonio Spurs swept away the Lakers and went on to win this championship.
Shaquille O’Neal – Creating a Dream Team
It was obvious something was still missing in the Lakers’ dream team. This missing piece was Phil Jackson, a legendary coach, who guided Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls to six championships. Jackson was hired as a coach for the Los Angeles Lakers which started a millennium in NBA history.
The 1999-2000 season was the time for Shaq and Kobe to shine. Shaquille O’Neal got the Most Valuable Player Award, along with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the 2000 NBA Championships. Executive decisions made by Phil Jackson got Shaq into the 2000 All-Defensive second team. The 2000 Lakers were impeccable and unstoppable, winning championships back to back in 2001 and 2002.
Shaquille O’Neal – Injuries
Basketball is a sport that requires a lot of athleticism and can be very tarnishing for players’ bodies. Shaquille O’Neal weighed over 300 pounds, which is very heavy on the joints, especially the knees and feet. He had to undergo surgery to correct arthritis on his small toe which knocked him out from a lot of matches. The glory days of O’Neal with the Lakers were over as he demanded more money to extend the contract. Shaq was heavily criticized by the media and by his teammates, at one point, Kobe Bryant called him a poor leader.
Shaquille O’Neal – Miami Heat
O’Neal’s ransom was paid by the Miami Heat. He transferred in 2004 with big promises, to finally give Miami Heat a win. He made his promise come true in 2006 when he helped the team win the championship and got his fourth NBA championship ring.
The 2007-08 season was a difficult one for Shaquille O’Neal, who posted career-worst numbers in points (12.9 ppg) and blocks (1.2 bpg). His scoring role in the offense has decreased; he only attempted 10 field goals per game, compared to his NBA career average of 17. In addition, O’Neal had frequent fouls; during one stretch he fouled out of five consecutive games. Shaquille’s 14-game All-Star streak came to an end that year.
Shaquille O’Neal – Phoenix Suns
In February 2008, the Phoenix Suns acquired Shaquille O’Neal from the league-worst Miami Heat in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, bringing to an end a three-year stretch in which he was beset with knee injuries. Shaq made his return to the court as a member of the Phoenix Suns on February 20, 2008, scoring 15 points while grabbing 9 rebounds against his former Los Angeles Lakers team.
Shaquille O’Neal – Possible Improvements
With O’Neal in the middle, the Suns hoped to move Amare Stoudemire back to his preferred forward spot. This would give the team more options since Stoudemire could play forward instead of getting into foul trouble while playing center.
With a little bit of creativity, you can take the concept even further. The idea is for Shaq to be able to play without having to strain himself as bad, which should help him avoid injury. In order for the Suns to improve their half-court offense, they needed some reinforcement from Shaq.
The trade was a flop. Many people failed to notice that Marion had been the Suns’ finest all-around perimeter defender at 6’7″. He could defend well, run the fast break, and grab rebounds because of his height.
The Suns would go 18-11 in the regular season with Shaq. The San Antonio Spurs would dominate souls in a double-overtime game one win in San Antonio, before eliminating the Suns in 5 games during the first round.
Shaquille O’Neal – Return to Grace
During the season, Shaq would have one of his best years in the NBA, playing 75 games and finishing first in field goal percentage. Unfortunately, the Suns were unable to qualify for the postseason after a 46-36 record.
Phoenix would send the money to Cleveland for Sasha Pavlovic, Ben Wallace. Neither player would ever play for the Suns.
Shaquille O’Neal – Cleveland Cavaliers
In the 2009-10 season, O’Neal played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged 12.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in 23.4 minutes a game over a year there. The Cavs won 61 games during the 2009-10 regular season, which was again the NBA’s best record. They swept the Chicago Bulls 4-1 in the first round before meeting the Celtics.
The two teams battled back and forth through the first four games of the series, with each winning on occasion. However, in Games 5 and 6, Kevin Garnett scored 18 and 22, as the Celtics won two games and secured a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. In the series, O’Neal averaged 13.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in 23.4 minutes per game.
During the summer of 2010, O’Neal joined the Boston Celtics for what was his final NBA season. That same summer, LeBron James shocked Cleveland by announcing on live television that he was defecting to the Miami Heat.
Did Shaquille O’Neal ever play for Boston Celtics?
Shaq officially signed with the Celtics following a two-year contract worth the veteran’s minimum salary of $1.4 million. The deal came less than two days after O’Neal declared on Jimmy Kimmel Live that he could see himself wearing a Celtics uniform.
The Celtics announced their signing of Shaq less than a week after introducing him to the press.
The Celtics’ players quickly bonded over the first few days of practice camp, and it didn’t take long for some lighthearted pranks to begin, with the majority involving Shaq and Nate Robinson, the team’s smallest player.
Shaq got the start at center for the Celtics’ first preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, while Jermaine O’Neal was continuing to struggle with a nagging hamstring issue throughout camp. Shaq played over 15 minutes in Boston’s victory over the 76ers, scoring 8 points on 4 of 5 shooting, including two rebounds.
The Celtics were fully prepared for Shaq’s absences as a result of injury. The first one occurred just three games into the season, and it was no surprise to the team. He hurt his knee in a collision with Stoudemire and had to depart the court.
Two days after his return, Shaquille O’Neal had a wonderful game on November 13, 2010. He scored 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting with six rebounds in a 116-110 win at Memphis.
The Celtics were eliminated in the playoffs after a season filled with injuries for Shaquille O’Neal. After 19 seasons in the NBA, O’Neal announced his retirement via social media, stating that he did not want to keep Boston hostage for another year.
Shaq earned a spot in the College Basketball Hall of Fame. He wasn’t (yet!) inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, but he’s more than happy with his fortune.
Shaquille O’Neal – Net Worth
Apart from being a great player and absolute NBA legend, Shaquille O’Neal has a lot of other business ventures. For example, he invested in Google in 2004 and still reaps what he saw. He is the owner of multiple restaurant and restaurant franchises (he is a board member of Papa John’s), he is a minor investor in Sacramento Kings.
During his career, he had contracts with Reebok and Pepsi. He also has his own brand of clothing, shoes, and jewelry. If this isn’t enough, he created his own series of children’s books called “Little Shaq”. Shaq is also a sports analyst in the show “Inside the NBA.”
Shaquille O’Neal’s net worth in 2021 is approximately $400 million.
Shaquille O’Neal – Music Career
In 1993 Shaq signed a deal and started his music career and released his debut album, Shaq Diesel. The album turned out to be a success for the basketball player and even got platinum in the United States. He seconded it with Shaq Fu: Da Return.
Shaq has six children: Shaqir O’Neal, Taahirah O’Neal, Shareef O’Neal, Me’Arah O’Neal, Myles B. O’Neal, and Amirah O’Neal.
Shaquille O’Neal – Net Worth
Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most successful NBA players of all time, with an estimated net worth of 450 million dollars. He has earned this fortune through his highly successful NBA career, as well as numerous endorsements and business ventures. He is also an active investor and has a portfolio that includes real estate, restaurants, and technology companies.
How many 3’s did Shaq make?
In his 19-year NBA career, O’Neal attempted only 22 three-pointers and made one of them. It was while he played for the Orlando Magic and it happened 25 years ago.
What disease did Shaq have?
Shaquille O’Neal was diagnosed with sleep apnea in 2011. Sleep apnea is asleep disorder that causes people to stop breathing or have shallow breathing during sleep.
How much did Shaq weigh at 16?
As a high school junior he was around 250 pounds.
