NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal was raised by his mother Lucille O’Neal and stepfather Phillip A. Harrison. However, Shaq considers Harrison as his father. Harrison was a drill sergeant in the army and led the life of a disciplinarian. So that is exactly how the four-time NBA champion was raised. However, some of Harrison’s actions would not be considered good parenting in today’s day and age. Shaq has multiple times talked about his father’s physical approach. It was once revealed that his father used to beat him up with a belt.

Harrison passed away in September 2013. Almost ten years after his father’s demise, the Los Angeles Lakers legend opened up about his true feelings for him in a recent interview.

Shaquille O’Neal opens up about his father

Shaquille O’Neal recently joined Ahmad Rashad in a 30-minute-long interview where he answered a lot of interesting questions. A fan channel called NBADUNKMAN uploaded the video on YouTube. In one instance of the interview, the sportscaster listed some of O’Neal’s biggest achievements including his doctorate. He then asked whether there is an achievement that Shaq is most proud of or if he is proud of the collection of everything he has ever achieved. O’Neal replied he is proud of everything he has achieved so far.

He said, “This is a conglomerate of all of it. I was a medium-level juvenile delinquent and Sergeant Phillip Harrison always told me, ‘The day you learn how to become a leader is the day your dreams will come true.'” An emotional Shaq added, “So I have a great love for my mother and father. I wish my father was here, he passed away about ten years ago. I wish I could have told him ‘thank you’ more times than I did.”

READ MORE – “Your Momma Ain’t Gonna Eat”: Shunning Alcohol Habit That Once Tortured His Mother, Shaquille O’Neal Resurfaces Recent Comments Only to Double Down on His Belief

The 2000 NBA MVP stated that every dream of his has come true because he is focused and because he is a “creature of habit”. Furthermore, he said that as a child he used to watch Rashad on TV a lot and always dreamed about being interviewed by him.

O’Neal believes his father helped him

Shaquille O’Neal has always credited his success to his mother and father. Even though he has talked about his father’s physical punishments, Shaq has always stated that he would not have been successful if it was not for his strict actions.

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In the book Shaq Uncut, it was revealed that Phillip A. Harrison used to beat O’Neal with a belt. However, the 15-time NBA All-Star believes his father did it to help him.