“Breathe Ain’t Gon Work A**hole”: Shaquille O’Neal Talks About What Led Him to Want to Become a Sports Psychologist

Since retiring from the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal has seemingly done it all, proving that his larger-than-life personality extends far beyond the basketball court. From becoming a successful sports analyst on Inside the NBA, to DJing under the name DJ Diesel, starring in commercials, launching business ventures, and even earning a doctorate in education, Shaq has embraced retirement with relentless energy and curiosity. The former MVP recently shared that he’s even considered becoming a sports psychologist.

Shaq ultimately chose not to pursue that path, deciding instead to take on a mentorship role, saying he prefers to do things that break new ground. His initial interest in becoming a sports psychologist, though, stemmed from his dislike of seeing people teach others about experiences they’ve never personally gone through.

The Diesel admittedly has a good reason for his skepticism toward sports psychologists. During the peak of his career, Shaq was advised to see one to address his ongoing struggles at the free-throw line. Given that he finished with a career percentage of just 52% from the charity stripe, it’s clear the treatment didn’t help. However, that wasn’t the main reason Shaq took issue with the doctor.

“I go see him, and the m********** says, ‘Breathe.’ And I say, ‘What’d you say to me?'” Shaq shared during his appearance on Off the Record. “Down by one, the whole world’s watching. You make this, you go to the finals, you miss, you gotta start all over. Breathe ain’t gon work, a**hole.”

“Have you ever played? ‘No, I never played.’ So now, I’m p*****,” the Hall of Famer continued. “So I want to be the first sports psychologist who … played at a major level. Every sport, I know what that pressure feels like. Super Bowl, on the two-yard line, I know what that quarterback is thinking.”

Shaq believes he’d be the perfect man for the job, not only because he has experience in the pros, but also because he’s constantly learning about how people think. Scoffing at the notion to just breathe through distress, O’Neal explained that he had “five, six, seven, 120 different things you can try to get over the hump.”

The 15-time All-Star also revealed that, beyond wanting to help others, another driving force behind his pursuit of mentorship is his obsession with earning titles. Shaq takes pride in being a trailblazer, especially within his family, and is eager to add more achievements to his legacy.

“These days, anybody can say, ‘I’m this.’ But now, I want you to know. I have all these titles for a reason,” the big fella added. “I probably still could’ve been Shaq without all these titles. But I need the titles. I used to go to business meetings and people used to go, ‘Hey, Shaq, how you doing? Good game last night,’ and look straight at the manager.”

Since retiring, Shaquille O’Neal has been using his time and wealth to grow, learn, and uplift others. However, the Lakers icon has also made it clear that he’s determined to build a legacy that commands respect for his intelligence now and in the future. Now with a Master’s degree and P.H.D. to his name, Shaq is doing just that.