Shaquille O’Neal has manifested another dream into existence. In June 2023, the Hall of Famer wrote a lyric in a rap song that he was waiting for the Orlando Magic to retire his jersey. On Thursday, the NBA on TNT crew and Magic CEO Alex Martins surprised O’Neal by announcing that the team heard his wish and will hang his jersey in the rafters of the team’s home stadium in Orlando.
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O’Neal’s mother, Dr. Lucille, sent him a heartfelt message after the Magic announced her son would become the first player in the franchise’s history to have his jersey retired. She said:
“Congratulations Shaquille on the retirement of your jersey with the Orlando Magic. Of course, this is your #1 fan saying congratulations to you. I could remember when they called your name, ‘Orlando Magic with the first pick.’ And they picked Shaquille O’Neal. We were all so happy for you and excited. I have to tell you. You made us all proud.”
Dr. Lucille’s warm message prompted a hilarious response from Charles Barkley. He asked O’Neal:
“Why is your mom so calm and cerebral, and you are such an a**?”
The whole crew, including O’Neal, burst into laughter after Barkley’s jibe. He then asked if the “Dr.” prefix was only a moniker that O’Neal and his mother liked to use. The former Magic superstar revealed that his mother borrowed money from him, attended Bethune-Cookman University, and got her doctorate in humane letter in 2016. O’Neal’s revelation prompted Barkley to wink at the camera and say, “I love you” to Dr. Lucille.
The interaction was a testament to the fact that not only are O’Neal and Barkley very close to one another, but the Chuckster also has a great relationship with Lucille O’Neal. And given their long-standing relationship already, this is very unlikely to change for years to come.
Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley’s mothers’ friendship
O’Neal and Barkley have become close friends and formed a brotherly bond since they started working together on NBA on TNT. However, during their playing days, the duo were at odds with each other, and their animosity spilled over during a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets in 1999.
During the second quarter, Barkley attempted to score a layup but was fouled by Lakers’ Brian Shaw. O’Neal, who was in the vicinity, pushed Barkley off the court, which prompted the Rockets star to throw the ball at the Lakers center. An irate O’Neal swung at Barkley, and the two got into a skirmish as players and officials rushed to the scene of the fight to separate the two.
Post-game, O’Neal’s bodyguard, Uncle Jerome, handed him the phone, and a woman on the other end started yelling at the Lakers superstar. He later learned it was Barkley’s mother, Charcey Glenn. She told O’Neal:
“You better not put your hands on my baby! I’m on the phone with your mama. Don’t you know we’ve been best friends for about 20-30 years? Now after the game, you go give [Charles] a hug. Y’all don’t need to fighting on TV like that!”
After that phone call, the tension between O’Neal and Barkley cooled off very quickly, later patching things up in the hallway.
In 2015, Barkley’s mother, Charcey Glenn passed away at age 73 due to kidney failure. Barkley revealed that in her mother’s final days, her best friend, Dr. Lucille, was always by her side. On an episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the Hall of Famer said:
“When my mom was dying, Shaq’s mom and Miss Martha spent all their time with my mom in her last few days, this is how close they were, there were best friends for 30 years.”
Like Charcey and Dr. Lucille, their sons have formed an unbreakable bond. O’Neal even claimed that if he had an elder brother, he would want him to be Charles Barkley. The duo’s respect and admiration for each other is only topped by the banter between them. Under all the roasting and bickering, the two couldn’t have more love for each other.
