“He’s the Main Character”: Shaquille O’Neal’s Son Shareef Explains Why He Has Dad’s Name Saved as “Main Character” on His Phone

Shaquille O’Neal loves nicknames. The Hall of Famer has been anointed with several: from Shaq and The Big Aristotle, to the ones he picked for himself — Diesel, Superman, Shaq Fu, and Shaq Daddy. All apt, all popular. A new one could be catching attention soon. ‘Main Character’, a nickname son Shareef has given him, suits Shaq both literally and figuratively.

Shareef narrated the experience of working under Shaq at Reebok while talking as a guest at On The Buzzer podcast. Is he a better boss than a father? the host had asked. Shareef revealed the nickname while responding:

“He would [be the better boss]. I call him the ‘Main Character.’ That’s his contact name on my phone. He’s the main character for sure anywhere he goes. You just got to be around [him] and [you’ll know] he’s the main character.”

O’Neal has indeed been the ‘Main Character’ in every single thing he has embarked upon. He was the lead man in all the teams he played for in the NBA. Shaq spearheaded the title charge of the LA Lakers and the Miami Heat. And now, he sits at the helm of a multibillion-dollar business empire.

Shareef added that his father’s carefree and aloof personality is just a front. Behind that, he’s a treasure trove of wisdom and knowledge, and a savvy businessman humble enough to hear everyone’s opinion.

“He’ll listen to me on something but he’s super super smart. Way smarter than actually what most people would think. He’s a very intelligent person… He knows stuff you wouldn’t even expect him to know,” Shareef added.

O’Neal was never academically inclined, but was always street-smart. When he became a multi-millionaire overnight after getting drafted in 1992, he was diligent enough to listen to those wiser than him in money matters.

He invested most of what he earned to ensure he kept making money even after retiring from the game. It has helped Shaq amass a net worth of over $400 million.

Despite having wealth that could last for generations, Diesel won’t let his kids sit idle, and burn through it. He expects academic excellence from them in exchange for a share of his money.

Shaq’s ingenious tactic to ensure his kids worked hard

During an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Shaq revealed his first rule of parenting. He has told his kids that they would either have to earn millions on their own like him, or they’d have to work tirelessly in school to get a chunk of his wealth.

“My most famous rule is: in order to touch any of my cheese, you have to present me two degrees. Their father is very successful. So, as a father, I’m not going to give them handouts. They have got to get a bachelors and a masters,” Shaq said.

It is easy to fathom where the four-time NBA champion’s outlook comes from. Shaq grew up in abject poverty. His family’s financial condition was in dire straits until he became the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft.

His kids, in contrast, grew up in mansions, surrounded by everything money could buy. Of course, it isn’t their fault. But affluence also meant they would find it hard to understand the difficulty of gaining financial freedom on their own.

O’Neal will obviously come to his children’s aid in their time of need. But he wants them to be able to stand on their own feet without any handouts from their father.