Shaquille O’Neal conquered the NBA hardwood owing to his overwhelming force, skill, and athleticism. It didn’t matter who stood opposite the big man; he simply used his brute strength to bulldoze past the big bodies.

Every team Shaq took his talents to, he was instrumental in their success. The Big Diesel won four NBA championships, in addition to countless other honors. For the entirety of his career, Shaq was regarded as a bully in the paint. Countless coaching strategies to try to stop or contain him proved ineffective as his sheer power intimidated opponents and propelled him to blossom into an NBA legend.

However, all this legendary status didn’t come easy for him. Countless reps and going all out during training were pivotal to his success. That, however, is perhaps insufficient to catapult someone to the pinnacle. The mental toughness required to accomplish that level is arguably equally immense.

Shaq endured several hurdles as he grew up. And one of them was getting bullied as a 14-year-old high school basketball player. The Los Angeles Lakers legend once got candid on ‘Oprah’s Master Class’, detailing how his experiences in high school made him mentally tougher and set the tone for his life.

Shaquille O’Neal appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s podcast ‘Oprah’s Master Class’ in 2018. He remarked how the hardships and bullying in high school taught him to never quit and become a better player.

Shaquille O’Neal discussed how being bullied in high school helped him become a better player

Shaq talked about his relocation to Texas and his new high school, Cole High School. “I get to Texas, and I get to the school, and I tell the coach, ‘I never played high school basketball but I was all-Europe in DYA,'” said the Lakers legend. “He was like, ‘Okay’ and he threw me some football pads and said, ‘Go out and do football drills’. So after they leave, I just practice, practice, practice…go back to the gym every day.” 

Shaq then recalled playing with much older players as a 14-year-old.

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“You got a 14-year-old kid playing against 18 or 19-year-old men… 20-year-old men,” said Shaq. “They are beating me up, throwing me around, calling me soft and calling me a wimp, and calling me all types of names. But being raised by a drill sergeant, you’re programmed never to quit,” he added.

It’s interesting to see that the man who the NBA world had grown accustomed to witnessing bully his opponents, was bullied himself as a kid. Shaq, however, would undoubtedly credit those experiences for toughening him up and instilling in him a dominant mindset.

Shaq talks about how his stepdad made him the man he is today

Shaquille O’Neal also discussed how his stepdad, a drill sergeant, taught him never to give up. He grew up under the strict care of his stepfather, Philip A. Harrison. When it comes to his stepfather, Shaq always credited Harrison for shaping him into the man he is today and has always referred to him as his real father.

He emphasized the importance of his strict upbringing. His father constantly made certain that he remained focused on his game, stayed humble, and never got ahead of himself.

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Despite all those challenges, Shaquille O’Neal kept fighting and paved his way to greatness both on and off the court.