Since 1991, there was only one team that beat Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the playoffs. And that was the Orlando Magic led by Shaquille O’Neal. But Jordan and the Bulls avenged the loss and they swept the Magic next year. And Jordan gave Shaq some advice after the series and this advice had a very strange reaction from Shaq later in his career.

Jordan came back to the NBA in 1995 after a short stint in baseball. He came in midway through the season but he helped the Bulls make the playoffs. But in the second round, the Bulls faced a young Magic team led by Shaq. And the Magic upset the Bulls in six games.

The following year, the Magic faced the Bull in a rematch. But this time the Bulls were able to sweep past the Magic and Shaq. And after the series, Jordan told Shaq that, “Before you succeed, you must first learn to fail.” However, His Airness’ words didn’t have the intended reaction on the Big Diesel.

Michael Jordan’s advice didn’t work well for Shaquille O’Neal

A couple of years after that loss, Shaq went to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the biggest moves in NBA history. But his first few years were met with disappointments. Shaq made an impact on the Lakers, but the team wasn’t good enough to win the title. And they were getting beaten by teams like the Utah Jazz and the San Antonio Spurs.

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In one instance, after getting swept by the Spurs, Shaq had had enough. The Lakers legend once described what he did after the loss. He said, ” One time we got swept by the Spurs and I went in the bathroom and ripped up all the toilets, all the urinals. There was sh*t flying everywhere.”

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Meanwhile, Jerry West came in to pacify the Big Diesel. In fact, he explained to him how his team repeatedly lost to the Boston Celtics too. And it is not possible to win every time. Sometimes, people need patience to achieve their goals. Shaq calmed down a little bit after West mentioned that his Lakers lost to the Celtics eight time in the NBA Finals.

Shaq understood what West had been through, and he learned that he needed to improve. He told West that he was gonna the title for him as well. And Shaq delivered on his promise as the Lakers won the title next year. In fact, they won it three years in a row.

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And Shaq understood what Jordan’s advice was eventually. Even though he lacked the necessary perspective to fully perceive it back then.