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“My dad, Shaquille O’Neal, plays super dirty, fouls a lot”: Shareef O’Neal details the horrific experiences of playing one-on-one with the Lakers legend

Advait Jajodia
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“My dad, Shaquille O’Neal, plays super dirty, fouls a lot”: Shareef O’Neal details the horrific experiences of playing one-on-one with the Lakers legend

It’s been a decade since Shaquille O’Neal retired, and as per his son, the LAL legend plays “super dirty” during their one-on-one battles.

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most dominant figures NBA basketball has ever seen. Standing at 7-foot-1 and weighing a whopping 325 pounds, Shaq was a nightmare for any player who had the duty to guard him. And because of this inhuman size of his, The Diesel was able to command over the paint on both sides of the court, night in and night out for nearly two long decades.

With 15 All-Star appearances, 14 All-NBA selections, 2 Scoring titles, 4 NBA Championships, 3 Finals MVPs, 1 MVP, 28,596 points scored, numerous posterizers, and several shattered backboards, Shaq is easily one of the most successful players we have ever witnessed.

Also Read: TNT Analyst Charles Barkley blasts the Lakers superstar for not being dominant enough

During his playing days, opponents would fear matching up against the giant. Shaq would be a tough force to reckon with, and wouldn’t take it easy on anyone. Even today, 10 years after his retirement, O’Neal doesn’t take it easy on his own children as well.

“If we score on him, he’ll say it’s a travel”: Shareef O’Neal on playing against Shaquille O’Neal

Recently, Shaq’s eldest son, Shareef O’Neal, gave an interview in which he detailed the experiences of playing one-on-one against his father. And according to the LSU Tiger, the former Lakers legend is one “super dirty” player. Reef disclosed to USA Today:

“He plays super dirty. He fouls a lot.”

“If we score on him, he’ll say it’s a travel. He’ll say anything. I won, but he wants to say he won because he was playing dirty.”

The 6-foot-10 junior further stated what would his father do now, when they challenged him for a game.

“All he does is just kind of stunt on us. He’ll tell us, ‘No, I’ve been doing this for 20 years.’ He’s like, ‘I taught you everything you know.’ He’ll say how many (NBA championship) rings he has.”

“He’ll shut the conversation down real quick, he’ll play with us sometimes, but just quick, two possessions and he’ll just stop.’’

Also Read: Shaquille O’Neal echoes Charles Barkley’s sentiment as he pins Lakers struggles to AD’s underperformance

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, a seasoned NBA journalist, has had a passion for the game for over a decade. His journey from admiring Kobe Bryant's precision to being in awe of Stephen Curry's long-range mastery instilled a profound understanding of basketball. With a background as a two-time National-level player, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 21-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 3,350+ articles.

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