‘Gangster’ Phillip Harrison Recalled ‘Old Ways’ In His Defense For Beating Up Shaquille O’Neal Till He Turned 13

Phillip Harrison instilled a strict sense of discipline in Shaquille O’Neal during his upbringing. Recognizing the importance of structure and hard work, Harrison pushed O’Neal to excel both academically and athletically. However, there were times when this discipline took very violent turns.

Shaq once got several beatings from Sarge in front of the Military Police. But, Harrison wasn’t being hard on him for no reason. As he revealed in a letter in O’Neal’s book, Shaq Talks Back, he wanted his son to live a different life than he did. He wanted to prevent him from becoming a gangster.

Phillip Harrison confessed he was a gangster when explaining why he was so hard on Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal had a tough childhood. His stepfather, Phillip Harrison was quite the disciplinarian and was intent on making sure Shaq lived up to his potential. But, why did he resort to such methods as beating up his stepson?

Well, much like Big Diesel, Sarge’s childhood was no cakewalk. He took the hard road. He slacked off in college, chased after girls, and acted quite crazy. In fact, he even described himself as a “gangster.”

These experiences made it clear to him. He did not want his son or any of his children to live like he did. So, he changed his life and joined the army. All of which he detailed in a letter that was in Shaq’s book.

“Why was I hard on Shaquille? I didn’t go to class. I took the hard road. I made things harder for myself when I was young. I was in the student lounge in college, playing cards, running around, acting crazy, chasing girls. I wanted to make sure my children benefited from my shortcomings, to know what the bad side of life was. Honestly, I was a gangster. I’m not proud of all the things I did in life. But I set myself straight, turned things around. I got tired of my crazy Newark life and joined the military.”

Regardless of his reasons, taking such actions with children is never the right way. However, the Hall of Famer does not blame his father for said actions. He even goes so far as to defend his father, claiming he did nothing wrong.

Shaq defended his father despite all the severe beatings he received from him

Shaquille O’Neal staunchly defends his stepfather’s parenting methods. O’Neal acknowledges that his stepfather, Phillip Harrison, employed strict discipline during his upbringing.

While some may question these methods, O’Neal attributes his accomplishments to the structure and tough love he received. He recognizes that Harrison’s unwavering expectations and emphasis on hard work helped shape his character and drive.

In 2013, Sgt. Phillip Harrison passed away at the age of 66, leaving Shaq distraught. However, their bond remains strong, and O’Neal remains grateful for his stepfather’s influence.