Shaquille O’Neal Could Have Died as Teenager in Germany if Not For a Timely Sixth Sense Decision

In an interview last year, Shaquille O’Neal revealed how he could’ve almost died but for a timely decision during a snowstorm.

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most resplendent, well-known NBA stars of all time. O’Neal stamped his mark on NBA history with aplomb during his playing days.

Drafted in 1992, Shaq quickly became one of the most dominant centers of the NBA at his position. He was selected to the All-Star team as a rookie, and he went from strength to strength after that.

The 7’2″ center made the NBA Finals alongside Penny Hardaway in his 3rd season. However, Hakeem Olajuwon and his Rockets swept the Orlando Magic that year.

Shaq signed a 7-year, $120 million deal the following summer with the Lakers, changing their fortunes. His best days came here as he led them to 3 straight NBA championships in the early noughties.

Also Read – Months Prior To $120 Million, Shaquille O’Neal Suffered A Devastating Loss, “I Didn’t Know She Was Sick”

However, a falling-out with the Lakers management and Kobe Bryant led him to be traded to the Miami Heat. Shaq won a 4th championship here on a team spearheaded by Dwyane Wade in the 2006 NBA Finals.

After 19 years in the league, Shaq retired following a one-year spell with the Boston Celtics. He immediately joined TNT as an in-studio analyst and has been a huge part of the success of Inside the NBA since then.

Shaquille O’Neal recounted a near-death experience as a youngster in Germany

O’Neal lived a part of his childhood life at an American Army base in Wildflecken, West Germany. It was here that he picked up basketball as a sport seriously, though he wasn’t really good at it.

However, he earned a scholarship to play basketball at LSU under coach Dale Brown during this time. Brown was intrigued by the then-13-year-old’s size – Shaq stood at a whopping 6’6″.

In a 2022 interview, Shaq revealed how his wayward ways as a young teenager could’ve cost him his life in Germany. He and his buddies were out drinking (well below the age limit) when:

“They decided to drive in Germany during a winter storm. Something told me not to get in the car, and I didn’t get in the car, and everybody in the car passed away.”

“After that I was like, ‘you know what, I have to be a leader. I can’t just follow guys because I’m trying to be cool’.”

Also Read – “Shaquille O’Neal, how long have you been in the Army?”: When Dale Brown mistook 13-year-old Shaq for a soldier before he became a Lakers legend