Shaquille O’Neal’s Stepfather Sgt. Phillip Harrison Discarded Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Lessons, Chewed Out LSU Head Coach: “Want Him to Dunk”

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal had a unique relationship with his adoptive father, Sgt. Phillip Harrison. Harrison was a strict father and had a huge impact on Shaquille’s early life. The same was true with respect to his NBA career. So much so that when LSU Head Coach Dale Brown brought in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to teach Shaquille the “sky-hook,” his father intervened.

Speaking on Shaq Uncut, O’Neal revealed that his dad told Brown that Shaquille did not need to learn the hook. This was because most people and his father saw O’Neal as a power player who was at his best when attacking the rim.

Shaq’s father once told off LSU Head Coach Dale Brown

Phillip Harrison was a military drill sergeant and adopted the same kind of approach to fatherhood. He was unafraid to use the paddle when O’Neal was a child and had a huge impact during his NBA career as well, according to the LA Times.

For example, Shaq had once responded with “Tell Yao ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-so!” when asked a question about Yao Ming. His father had called him up within minutes, thundering at him to show his “brother the respect that he deserves.”

This impact translated to telling Dale Brown off during O’Neal’s time at the LSU. Brown had brought in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to help Shaquille learn the “sky hook.”

O’Neal revealed on Shaq Uncut that when his father heard about the visits, he had a simple response for the coach:

“He’s a power player,” my dad told my coach. “I want him to dunk.”

Well, good thing that Sarge stopped Shaq all the way back in college, else we might not have seen him become the Most Dominant Ever.

Phillip Harrison once used the paddle on Shaquille O’Neal in front of Military Police

Harrison’s strict behavior with O’Neal began from the moment he entered his life. O’Neal was only two years old and was not always the best student in school.

Once, he had pulled a fire alarm at an Army Gym, which led to Shaquille being nabbed by military police. When Harrison was called, he was told by officers that he will be charged with child abuse if he decided to hit Shaquille.

However, Shaq’s father ended up using the paddle in front of the police, who looked the other way. Harrison expired in September 2013.

Speaking on his The Big Podcast with Shaq in 2020, O’Neal got emotional about his father. He revealed that he was glad of the impact Harrison had on his life, and claimed his dad was the reason he was able to achieve so much in life.