Shaquille O’Neal had an illustrious NBA career spanning 19 seasons. He was known for his dominance on the court as a center, playing for some of the best teams in the league. Shaq won four NBA championships: three-peat with the Lakers and one with the Heat. his long career was the result of him joining the league at the age of 20.

Orlando Magic drafted Shaq as the 1st overall pick during the 1992 NBA draft. He became the Rookie of the Year and was even selected to the All-Star in his rookie season, the first player since Michael Jordan to do so.

Shaq joined the league as a youngster but performed like an experienced NBA player. He spent four seasons in Orlando and joined the Lakers in 1996. As Shaq was still young when he joined the NBA, his mother, Lucille O’Neal, used to travel with him in his rookie season. The mother-son duo also had a ritual, which Lucille recently revealed in an interview to ‘Today’.

Lucille O’Neal talks about her ritual with Shaquille O’Neal in his rookie season

Shaq’s mom, Lucille O’Neal, recently appeared for an interview on ‘Today’. The show was hosted by Sheinelle Jones. Lucille told Sheinelle about Shaq’s childhood and her ritual of giving him bubblegum and a kiss before his game.

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“I’ll give him a wink and a smile, and he was playing his game. But by the time he got to the NBA, we had a ritual. I would give him bubblegum and then I give him a kiss and I say play your game. As a grown man,” Lucille told Sheinelle of ‘Today’.

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She continued: “But remember now, Shaquille went to the league early. He was 19, and I traveled with him for the first year.”

It’s such a cute story by Lucille. No one knew Lucille used to accompany him in his rookie season in Orlando. Moreover, it’s not surprising because Shaq was just 20 at that time.

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Shaq, however, had an insane body transformation in the next few years and it helped him grow his game. Shaq went on to win a three-peat with the Lakers in the early 2000s. In 2004, he left the Lakers for Miami Heat and won his fourth with them.