NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has battled some great difficulties while making a name for himself in the basketball world. He grew up in humble surroundings without a biological father and his step-father has played a huge role in shaping the former NBA champion. Apart from guiding Shaq on the right path, it seems O’Neal’s stepfather also pushed him to perform better. Sergeant Phillip A. Harrison was an Army veteran and he was never satisfied by his son’s performances. Apart from taking care of Shaq in every possible way, Sergeant Harrison also made sure to subject him to the harshest of criticisms.

Although Shaq was one of the best players in his college, it seems his father was never happy. On the latest episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the Los Angeles Lakers legend detailed growing up with a Sergeant father.

Shaq’s father was never convinced by his son’s performances

7-foot- 1 inch tall Shaq was one of the biggest basketball sensations in the country during his time in high school and college. However, his father pushed him to work harder and cross his limits every day.

In fact, even if Shaq made 50 points in a match, Phillip Harrison wasn’t convinced. He pointed out his son’s mistakes during the game and motivated him to work harder.

On the latest episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the four-time NBA champion said, “I could have 50 points, but if I missed 10 free throws and I called him, he would say ‘you should have 60’. It was never a great game like, ‘oh you had 50 but you missed 10 free throws’. 50+10 is 50 in everybody’s math class you stupid motherf***er.”

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Thanks to Shaq’s hard work, dedication, and also his parents’ efforts, he ended up being one of the greatest athletes in the sports world. Even to this day, the Los Angeles Lakers legend has a lot of respect for his parents, specifically his mother.

Shaquille O’Neal once rebelled against his father

Life at LSU wasn’t easy for Shaq. The games were usually very rough which increased the chances of a fatal injury while still very young. Therefore, Shaq’s career could have ended before it even started.

After failed attempts at going pro, the former MVP rebelled against his own father. He emphatically proclaimed one day,  “Go home. Same Argument. Man, f**k that. They f***ing me up in school. I’m going”, as revealed in the recently released ‘Shaq’ documentary. Nevertheless, Shaq would make the right call at going pro and would go on to script history in the game of basketball.

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