Shaquille O’Neal, also known as Shaq, is a retired American professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA on TNT.
He is considered one of the greatest players in National Basketball Association (NBA) history, known for his exceptional size, strength and skill as a center.
O’Neal played for six teams over his 19-year career, winning four NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.
He was a dominant force in the league, earning numerous accolades including the 1999-2000 MVP award, the 1992-93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections.
O’Neal was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017.
In addition to his basketball career, O’Neal has released four rap albums, with his first, Shaq Diesel, going platinum.
He is also an electronic music producer and touring DJ, known as Diesel, and has appeared in numerous films and has starred in his own reality shows.
Siblings
O’Neal has three siblings, namely Ayesha, Lateefah and Jamal Harrison.
Ayesha, who was born in 1977, passed away in 2019 after a long battle with cancer.
She was diagnosed with cancer while still in college but persevered through the ordeal and got her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Ayesha is survived by her son, Bryce.
O’Neal took the news of his sister’s passing very hard, and his co-hosts on Inside the NBA paid tribute to Ayesha following the tragic news.
O’Neal’s other siblings, Lateefah and Jamal, are not well-known to the public, but Lateefah spoke about a secret that her parents kept for a very long time in the HBO documentary, SHAQ.
She said that O’Neal was born before her mom and dad married and kept the name O’Neal because it sounded good, while his other three siblings had the surname Harrison.
Also Read: Omari Hardwick Siblings: A Glimpse into the Actor’s Family Lineage
Parents
O’Neal was raised by his mother and stepfather, Phillip Harrison, after his biological father was arrested for drug possession and check forgery when he was a baby.
Lucille was only 17 years old when she gave birth to O’Neal and had to work multiple jobs to raise him as a single mother.
She instilled a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed in her children and encouraged O’Neal to pursue basketball.
Phillip, who introduced O’Neal to basketball, became a father figure to him and his three siblings.
O’Neal has credited his stepfather for shaping him into the man he is today and has praised his influence in his life.
Despite his absence, O’Neal does not judge his biological father and has met him for the first time at 44 years old.
Career
O’Neal is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players and centers of all time.
He was born on March 6, 1972, and played for six teams over his 19-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), including the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.
O’Neal was a dominant force in the league, winning numerous accolades including the 1999-2000 MVP award, the 1992-93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections.
He is one of only three players to win NBA MVP, All-Star Game MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same year (2000); the other players are Willis Reed in 1970 and Michael Jordan in 1996 and 1998.
O’Neal ranks 9th all-time in points scored, 6th in field goals, 15th in rebounds and 8th in blocks.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017.
In addition to his basketball career, O’Neal has released four rap albums, with his first, Shaq Diesel, going platinum.
He is also an electronic music producer and touring DJ, known as Diesel.
O’Neal has appeared in numerous films and has starred in his own reality shows.
He was a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings from 2013 to 2022 and is the general manager of Kings Guard Gaming of the NBA 2K League.
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