Reflecting on His Encounters with Michael Jackson and Biggie, Shaquille O’Neal Reveals His Greatest Accomplishment

Global superstardom has allowed Shaquille O’Neal to access some of the most exclusive experiences in the world, including his frequent interactions with the other celebrities in his stratosphere. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Shaq expressed gratitude for the incredible life he has lived and the people who have made it special.

O’Neal’s guest, ‘Wild ‘N Out’ cast member, Chico Bean, asked the four-time champion to recount some of his more memorable experiences. The Big Aristotle took his response in a rather contemplative direction.

“I just can’t believe that some of my dreams have come true,” Shaq said. “For example, there’s a Hall of Fame boxer sitting over there,” he added, pointing to a corner of the room, “I can’t believe I met him.”

The Hall of Famer wasn’t Shaq’s favorite Muhammad Ali, who almost made Shaq cry when he recognized the basketball star at a restaurant. It was four-time world heavyweight champion, Evander Holyfield. And he wouldn’t even be the most famous name O’Neal mentioned on the podcast.

“Been in the studio with Biggie, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones. Done met and seen all of my favorite actresses and people. To answer your question, I’m just thankful that most of all my dreams have come true.”

What’s even more incredible is that these are only Shaq’s off-court accomplishments. He’s also an Olympic gold medalist, a three-time Finals MVP, 15-time All-Star, a Hall of Famer and one of the top 10 scorers in NBA history.

His unprecedented success has carried forward into retirement, where O’Neal has more than doubled his career earnings using his sharp business acumen.