Shaquille O’Neal’s dad made him hate alcohol, he still entered $35.6 billion Vodka industry with ‘Luv Shaq’

Shaquille O’Neal was and still is a party animal. Yet, there was a time he couldn’t stand the smell of alcohol and the reason is hilarious!

Since the moment he entered the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal was a hit. The 7’0 center had all the right things, from his personality, charisma, and his skills on the basketball court.

Safe to say, Shaq was and continues to be the life of the party, even to this day. In fact, given his background as a former NBA superstar turned DJ and businessman, he clearly throws some amazing ones.

Diesel sure knows how to party and even hosts a pre-Super Bowl music festival every year called Shaq’s Fun House. A festival that has been held in the city hosting the Super Bowl since 2018!

Also Read: 7′ Shaquille O’Neal was instructed to not be a cry baby by 11X champ Bill Russell

He may be a party animal now, but there was a time when O’Neal did not like all aspects of partying. There was a time when Shaq could not stand the smell of alcohol.

Shaquille O’Neal couldn’t stand the smell of alcohol after his father forced him to drink a 12-pack as a kid

In 1992, the Orlando Magic drafted 20-year-old Shaquille O’Neal with the first overall pick. The center was just a year away from turning 21, a big year in one’s life.

Among the many things associated with someone’s 21st year, is the fact that in most countries it is the legal drinking age. However, according to his teammates, Shaq couldn’t even stand the smell of alcohol.

When he was 13, Big Aristotle’s father caught him having a sip of beer and forced the young man to drink an entire 12-pack of beer, leading to his aversion to the smell of liquor. Here is what the man had to say on the matter, as per Mental Floss. 

“My father caught me sipping a beer with my cousins when I was, like, 13,” O’Neal told Vanity Fair years later. “He made me drink a 12-pack right then. Not only did I get drunk, but I also hated beer, and I never had the urge to drink again.”

Fortunately or unfortunately, O’Neal got over his dislike for the smell of alcohol. In fact, he even had his own Vodka brand known as Luv Shaq.

The Vodka industry is worth a cool $35.6 billion, hence it makes sense to invest in it. Shaq has historically been a great investor and it is no surprise he wants to try his hand at spirits. After all, it is a trendy thing to own your own brand of liquor.

Also Read: Shaquille O’Neal helped fans earn upto $250,000 through a brilliant Reebok-led initiative