Shaquille O’Neal Unexpectedly Credits His 3 Lakers Championships With Kobe Bryant to Ballet

The Los Angeles Lakers’ iconic three-peat during the early 2000s was historic for many reasons. Arguably at the top of that list is the sheer dominant performances from Shaquille O’Neal. His ability to elevate his play on the highest stage wasn’t solely due to his physical gifts. O’Neal put a lot of work on maximizing his body after narratives surrounding his work ethic bothered him early in his career. Surprisingly, Shaq credits the titles with the Lakers to ballet lessons

The NBA has never seen a player like Shaq who could move the way he could, especially at his size. O’Neal stood at 7-foot-1 and moved like a gazelle (that weighed as much as three gazelles) down the court. Many attributed his abilities strictly to physical gifts but O’Neal did put work in becoming a better player.

Kobe Bryant and O’Neal butt heads on multiple occasions because of Shaq’s work ethic, but that doesn’t mean O’Neal never trained. He would work on his game relentlessly, even partaking in unconventional methods.

In a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the Hall-of-Fame big man revealed that he dabbled in the world of ballet to improve his mobility as a big man. When asked about how many of the Lakers’ titles ballet could receive credit for, he didn’t hold back.

“All of them,” O’Neal said. O’Neal refused to go in-depth regarding his experience with ballet. But he did reveal that he used to be a viewer. Watching the technique to perform a pirouette, among other ballet moves, helped O’Neal refine his spin move.

Shaq’s co-host, Adam Lefkoe, attempted to squeeze more information, but the Lakers legend was visibly embarrassed to share more. The news isn’t too surprising since O’Neal does carry a deep love for dancing, just not in a contemporary fashion.

O’Neal’s extensive history of dancing

Throughout O’Neal’s NBA career, he didn’t pass up on an opportunity to let his personality loose. ‘The Big Diesel’ loved putting a smile on the faces of others while having fun himself. In most instances, that came in the form of dancing.

At the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix, O’Neal took over and not on the basketball court. During his player introduction ahead of the All-Star game, O’Neal came out in style. He performed with the legendary dance group, the Jabbawockeez.

O’Neal’s performance remains one of the most entertaining moments in the event’s history. His flair for the dramatics was one of a kind and won’t be replicated in the future anytime soon.