Shaquille O’Neal has been one of the most successful basketball players, not just on the court but off it as well. Apart from winning four championships with the Lakers and the Heat, he’s built a generational wealth pile as big as Scrooge McDuck’s gold vault.
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All of it was built on one fundamental belief: “Trust from family members.” Shaq reveals that his grandmother was the first one to believe in him, at the tender age of 4. At an age where close ones brush away such tall claims, the big man said his grandmother knew he was serious.
Shaq narrates, “grandma, I’ll buy you a car”. Her grandmother’s response was, “I want a Cadillac baby”. And that iron-clad belief was all O’Neal needed to inspire him. At the time Cadillacs were going for around $10,000. Lofty goals were set but O’Neal was truly inspired.
That confidence in him gave him the strength and the belief that he would do great things. If you know your family has your back, the world is nothing but your oyster. All you have to do is pry it open, and the wealth of your dreams is on a platter.
Shaq has had a stern father that helped him get discipline, but he also needed the confidence of the women in his life to be the best he could be. For all his macho, hard-man exterior, the man is a softie on the inside.
Shaquille O’Neal keeps his family close, even today
Big Diesel had his fair share of flings and affairs, and he had to learn that the hard way. He got carried away when he got into the league and faced time alone. His life felt like an open prison, and he did his part in repenting for his sins.
That’s why he keeps his kids and his extended family close. After losing a lot of his loved ones during the pandemic, the bond just got even tighter. Shaquille O’Neal may not be perfect, but he’s a good human being.
There is no athlete who has succeeded without the support of family – it need not be relatives by blood
The biggest example of an adoptive family that is the bedrock for success is Jimmy Butler. The man got thrown out by his mother but has gone on to become a superstar. Kobe Bryant had a rocky relationship with his parents but had Vanessa by his side.
Everyone needs support, however big, strong, or influential they may be. The spotlights come with pressure, and you need your crutches of support to get things done. Shaquille O’Neal had his whole family around him, and that kept him grounded. He did fly up a little but came back humbled.
