It is no longer surprising to learn about NBA players having relatively successful football careers in their childhoods. Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James both have some history with the game. However, the latest NBA star to join this bandwagon might just surprise some. NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal revealed that he himself used to play football, in a very interesting position given his physique.
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O’Neal was a dominant force on the hardwood for as long as he played, both in the NBA and during his college days. When one thinks of O’Neal, the first thought that comes to mind is his height. Standing at 7’1″, he towered over opponents, as they hopelessly tried to snatch the ball from him. It is probably this fact about him that will have some fans confused as to why he played football in a particular position.
Shaquille O’Neal used to play as a tight end back in his school days
Speaking on ‘I AM ATHLETE’, Shaq revealed what made him switch from football to basketball in high school. He says, “I was ya’ll. I was football. I was a tight end, I was just like you. And then John Koncak, he was making 15 for three… And I was like this mo********er’s making… 15 divided by 3, he making five million. I can do that, and that’s how I got in, that’s how I started playing basketball.”
Shaq also goes on to reveal that his favorite NFL team is the Dallas Cowboys, is because he wanted to be the next “Ed ‘Too Tall’ Jones”. When asked by a co-host if he had a growth spurt, Shaq revealed that he was 6’9″ during high school itself. It must have been a terrifying experience for all those kids to play against Shaq.
Shaq was a force to reckon with in the NBA during his playing days
Even if one hasn’t watched Shaq play basketball, one look at his achievements will leave no doubt about his greatness. The 4x NBA Champion was also the MVP in three of those games. He is also a 15x NBA All-Star, 8x NBA First Team, and an Olympic Gold winner. Truly, it seems he had nothing left to achieve in basketball before he eventually retired in 2011.
Shaq now owns numerous businesses all over America and has shares in many massive companies such as Google, Apple, PepsiCo, etc. He is also performing as a DJ since 2021, under the stage name ‘DIESEL’. Apart from that, Shaq is also involved in numerous philanthropic activities and has aided in the creation of multiple “technology centers” across the nation.
