Shaquille O’Neal is loved by NBA fans not just because he was a beast when he played, and an all-time great. He’s also one of the only analysts who can connect with average people. It’s an ability that Shaq has grown proud of over the years.
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But O’Neal’s success and relatability didn’t happen overnight. It’s something he says that he worked on since he was an unknown. But once he became a somebody in the eyes of many, Shaq didn’t like the attention.
Why didn’t O’Neal like the attention of a celebrity? Well, because he didn’t want to be one. He even shared on The Pivot Podcast with Ryan Clark that he once tried to make a press conference go viral where he vehemently denounced other celebs.
“Don’t say I’m a celebrity. Y’all celebrities are f*cked up,” O’Neal said at the time. “Y’all a**holes, y’all f*cking stupid. You disrespect people, you sh*t on people. I don’t want to be like that.”
It was somewhat surprising to hear O’Neal, a celebrity, so adamantly against celebrity culture. But he wanted to make it clear that he doesn’t like the way that rich people move. Whether it’s talking behind each other’s backs or straight up disrespecting others, Shaq doesn’t care for any of it.
The biggest reason why he doesn’t want to partake in those celebrity activities is because of his mother.
“To answer your question, I’ve always said to myself that my mama’s watching. What would she say if she saw me acting like a goddamn fool? It would hurt her heart. Because from 2-15 I hurt her heart everyday doing dumb sh*t,” O’Neal shared.
Shaq’s mother sadly passed away. The exact date of her death is not available to the public, but O’Neal still holds her near and dear to his heart. And she’s the big reason why he doesn’t get caught up in all of the celebrity hullabaloo.
O’Neal later shared that he was the victim of child abuse, stating that his father hit him while disciplining him for disappointing his mother when he was young. He never got into any serious trouble, but Shaq said he was a master at stealing and getting away with it, which led to the abuse. All in all, it was another reason why he eventually straightened out.
But it goes to show that O’Neal isn’t like many other NBA players and celebrities. He’s a man of the people who wants to be viewed as a commoner. Shaq may move with and do things with the richer percentage of the population for his job, but for the most part, he doesn’t hang out with them in his spare time. And that’s something he’s proud of.
