Even in 1992, Shaquille O’Neal was fresh out of LSU. But unlike any rookie before him, Shaq was already seen as one of the best centers in the world. With his eventual NBA debut season, it was clear to everyone following that O’Neal was the real deal. His excellence and popularity paved a path of great commercial success for him.
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Raised up to be a generous man, O’Neal took his first commercial as an opportunity to honor the greats. While he would go on to become worth an impressive $420 million, he started his financial success by paying homage to his predecessors.
He got Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, and Wilt Chamberlain involved. However, he was disappointed by Kareem and Wilt’s response.
Shaquille O’Neal chased Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain’s validation
Shaquille O’Neal in his book Shaq Uncut, revealed the unfortunate interaction in detail. He wrote how he got Reebok to hire Kareem, Wilt, and Russell for one of the first few commercials of his life.
In the advertisement, Russell is a gatekeeper who seeks O’Neal’s ID to let him into the group of legendary big men. Shaq in turn shows him his ID. Seeing them not impressed, he dunks the ball hard enough to rip off the entire rim. However, that is not enough for the legends who announce that youngster is not ready.
O’Neal: “Being mindful of the history of the game, one of the first commercials I ever did for Reebok as a rookie in 1992 was one that included all the great centers. The commercial opens with me standing on a court, knocking on this imaginary door to the hallowed kingdom of the big men.”
But his act of generosity went unnoticed. Shaquille O’Neal, in his book, revealed that after the commercial, Kareem and Wilt were awfully cold to the youngster. He shared his heartbreak with readers, revealing how his generosity was basically ignored.
Shaq: “It was my idea to have the legends in the shoot. It was a sign of respect, and I made sure they all got a nice paycheck for doing the commercial. You’d think it might have led to a relationship or something, but it really didn’t.”
Bill Russell was kind to Shaq
While the two Lakers legends gave the youngster a cold shoulder, Shaq found a comforting mentor in Bill Russell. In his book, Shaq also claimed that while Kareem and Wilt ignored him, Bill Russell talked to him kindly.
Bill Russell apparently maintained a cordial relationship with O’Neal all his life. The 7ft 1″ center deeply appreciated the Celtics legend for giving him the respect he deserved.
