The NBA has rarely seen a player who has dominated the competition in the manner that Shaquille O’Neal has. Granted, some of his physical features are God-given, but the Los Angeles Lakers legend still put in a lot of hard work to achieve superstardom. O’Neal thrived in all sorts of training regimes. Yet, even Diesel struggled with a certain workout routine, which he hasn’t overcome to this day.
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After all, the amount of work he put into the game led to several memorable moments and fierce rivalries, such as his longstanding feud with Kobe Bryant. But he was not only known for his on-court performances. Beyond basketball, O’Neal pursued many other passions, too.
From his rap career to movie roles, those passions have helped him become a household name. However, being one of the most famous celebrities of his time also came with its own challenges. Numerous stories about him began to surface. The legitimacy of those stories has always been questioned, and Shaq has tried to put those doubts to bed whenever possible.
O’Neal sat down for an interview with Ashley Nevel last month, and they played a game called ‘Shaq or Cap,’ in which Nevel presented alleged stories or facts about him. After that, he had to clarify whether they were true or false.
She first asked O’Neal if he had ever spent $1 million in a single day as a rookie. He revealed that to be true. What could he have spent that money on, you may ask? Cars. Not only for himself, but also for his father and friends.
Ashley’s questions proceeded to become more personal. She asked Shaq about a rumored story revolving around a training session with an actual Navy SEAL. Not only was that true, but he was also able to complete all those exercises, except for one.
“The only thing I couldn’t do was jump out of the helicopter,” O’Neal revealed. “But everything else we did, breaches, shooting long distance, we did all of that.”
At first glance, it might seem crazy for O’Neal to participate in such a rigorous training routine. However, considering his background, a training session with a Navy SEAL is right on brand for the 15-time All-Star.
O’Neal grew up in a military home under the supervision of his stepfather, Philip Arthur Harrison. He instilled plenty of disciplinary actions in Shaq, which conditioned him to handle things like a workout with a Navy SEAL later in his life.
Harrison has always been a great source of inspiration in O’Neal’s life. He followed in his stepfather’s footsteps in 2015, becoming a reserve police officer for Miami Beach and Golden Beach. His duties consisted mainly of community work involving children.
He understood his limits during his Navy SEAL training. Regardless, O’Neal took the traits he learned and continues to apply them in his everyday life.
