Shaquille O’Neal possessed an unprecedented level of dominance that had never been witnessed before. His opponents feared him like no other player in the game. However, Shaq did have a glaring weakness in his free throw shooting. Throughout his career, he struggled with a poor 52.7% free-throw percentage during regular seasons, and this aspect of his game was often subject to ridicule. On Gary Vaynerchuck’s show, a fan proposed a free throw contest between Shaq and Gary, who was worth $200 million. Nevertheless, Shaq promptly declined the challenge, likely due to his well-known struggles with free throws. The “Hack-A-Shaq” technique, where teams intentionally fouled Shaq to exploit his low free-throw percentage and limit his scoring, became prevalent in the league.
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Greg Popovich, the coach of the San Antonio Spurs, had the daunting task of facing prime Shaq during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite Shaq’s dominance, Popovich managed an impressive 3-2 record against him. In a regular game series between the Suns and the Spurs, Popovich cleverly employed the Hack-A-Shaq strategy to gain an advantage. Within just five seconds of the game starting, Shaq was intentionally fouled, much to his surprise. When he looked over at the Spurs bench, he saw Popovich laughing with a thumbs-up gesture, and eventually, even Shaq joined in the laughter. This just goes to show that Shaq’s weakness at free throws is known around the league, and is exploited as well. This may be the same weakness that Vee was trying to compete against.
Shaquille O’Neal refuses to have a free-throw contest against Gary Vee
Shaq is known for his philanthropy and has a generous and kind-hearted nature. You can approach him for anything, except for a free-throw contest. During an appearance on the Gary Vee show, a fan proposed the idea of a free-throw contest between Shaq and Gary. Without hesitation, Shaq grabbed the mic and firmly stated, “I am retired,” repeating the statement three times. This incident revealed one thing that the legendary player, Big Aristotle, is afraid of – participating in a free-throw contest.
“Yeah and I don’t wanna lose to Shaq in free-throws,” said Gary candidly.
Shaq made his face and laughed along with him. There is very little chance that Vee would have an upper hand over Shaq. After all, he has 20 years of experience playing basketball. So, that would play some part at least.
Gary Vee reveals what he likes about Shaq
In November 2022, during a conversation between the four-time NBA champion and Vee, the latter revealed an intriguing and lesser-known aspect about the basketball star. When a member of the audience inquired about Big Aristotle’s business acumen, Gary, the founder of VaynerMedia, responded by praising the former MVP’s exceptional qualities. He described him as remarkably curious and humble, identifying these traits as his superpower. Gary quickly realized that Shaquille O’Neal’s insatiable curiosity and inquisitiveness made him truly special.
“This guy is incredibly curious, constantly seeking knowledge, and he remains humble despite his achievements,” Gary expressed about the NBA star.
Over the years, after his retirement, Shaq has built a business empire for himself. Now he is worth $400 million as he continues to expand his business. He has invested in big and small companies. He also has ownership of brands like Forever 21, Reebok, Papa John‘s, Krispy Kreme, and Marilyn Monroe.
