Shaquille O’Neal underwent a tough but disciplined childhood under the tutelage of his stepfather, Sergeant Phillip Harrison. The LA Lakers icon has himself credited his dad for the success he has achieved, especially because of the things Harrison taught him during his formative years. That, as the big man notes in his book Shaq Uncut, also included a square punch that his father found necessary to unleash on him back when he was 17 years old, to make his son realize the extent of his potential.
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Phillip Harrison wanted Shaq to have a look at Jon Koncak, who had been given a $15 million contract by the Atlanta Hawks at the time. This probably seemed to have taken place around the year 1989, when $15 million was an even bigger deal than it is today.
“My dad is working with me and I’m getting better. I’m in between my junior and senior season of high school when my dad comes home from work one night and punches me square in the face. He’s got a program in his hands and grabs me and says, ‘It’s time for you to get serious. See this guy right here?'” Shaq Uncut recounted.
“We’re going to watch him play basketball tonight, and I’m going to teach you how to destroy him. You know why? Because he makes 15 million dollars— that’s why. See how much money you could make if you’d just stay out of trouble?” Shaq’s book quoted Phillip Harrison’s words that would craft the big man’s NBA legacy.
While the measure was extreme, Harrison did have an obvious point. O’Neal went on to talk about Jon Koncak, who he described as a “slow, white dude who really wasn’t that good.” Shaq also revealed how he had gone to watch the Hawks play against the San Antonio Spurs, and only had one thought when he saw the player for himself.
“We are sitting way at the top, the worst seats in the place, but I’m watching this guy [Koncak] and I’m thinking, I can be better than him,” the book revealed.
Hence, O’Neal did not need much to actually open his eyes. A punch in the face from his father, and seeing the player for himself spurred him on, and the rest of course, is history. While this kind of tough love would be frowned upon today, Harrison’s traditional ways forged Shaq into a warrior who could withstand the rigors of the NBA.
Shaquille O’Neal made a lot during his NBA career
There might have been a time when Shaq would have thought the $15 million Koncak received was a huge deal. Not anymore though, as O’Neal went on to himself make exactly $286,344,668 during his illustrious career, as per Sportrac.
This included the $120 million deal he signed for the LA Lakers in 1996, the richest NBA contract at the time. What’s more, Shaq went on to even dwarf that amount, as a result of a range of smart investments that he started making before retiring.
O’Neal has since then created a number of income sources, including his acting, DJing, investments, and TV analyst career. Currently, the now 51-year-old is worth $500 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. That represents unimaginable progress from the 17-year-old who needed a punch from his father to realize exactly what he could achieve.
