On their Raising Fame podcast, Lucille O’Neal and Sonya Curry discuss the childhood and upbringing of their NBA famous sons. On an episode of their show, guest star Shaquille O’Neal revealed details of an interesting conversation he had with his mother about schooling and education that occurred early in the 2000s.
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Shaq had already risen to the pinnacle of NBA success and fame by this time. He wanted to buy cars and other luxuries to provide a secure future for his mother as a way of thanking her for his childhood.
Despite Shaq’s insistence, Lucille gracefully declined his offers. She preferred to rely on her earnings through speaking engagements and even sought to enroll in a school to further advance herself in the field. Instead of fancy cars, she asked her son for financial help with her education.
However, Lucille’s ambitious plans in her late 40s raised Shaq’s eyebrows, as he recalled,
“I got a call one night. She said, ‘Baby, I need to borrow some money’. I said, ‘Why?’. She said, ‘I wanna go to school’… So, I was like, ‘Mom, you don’t need to go to school’. She said, ‘No, I need to do this for myself.'”
Eventually, Shaq gave in. He helped her in enrolling in Bethune-Cookman University’s adult education program. In June 2003, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Shortly after, she pursued a postgraduate course at the University of Phoenix. In March 2005, she earned her Master of Arts in Organizational Management.
In the meantime, Lucille also inspired her son to follow in her footsteps.
Helping his mother with her education inspired Shaq
Although Shaq became a millionaire shortly after entering the NBA, Lucille wanted him to be more than just a basketball star. She continuously encouraged him to pursue greater academic achievements.
During a conversation with Graham Bensinger in 2021, he reminisced about those moments, saying,
“I’m getting calls once a week.’Yeah, you’re doing movies, you’re doing albums but you promise me baby that you would go back to school’. Never like to let my mom down.”
This prompted him to return to Louisiana State University for two consecutive summers. In 2000, he completed his Bachelor’s degree in General Studies. He then pursued a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. By 2012, he had earned a Doctorate in Education from Barry University.
These degrees undoubtedly benefited him beyond basketball. They transformed him into a more sound businessman and set a benchmark for the next generation. In a way, even after Shaq became world famous, his mother continued to look out for him as she did in his childhood.
