Shaquille O’Neal is a family man, but he had problems keeping his anger in check during his early days. The Lakers legend built a strong legacy during his entire career, and the work started from home. O’Neal recently recalled his time back home and how his anger issues were problematic until he had kids of his own. The Lakers no. 34 has moved on from his first marriage, but those days were a huge lesson for ‘The Big Aristotle’.

O’Neal’s recent appearance on a Q&A made him open up as he candidly shared his experience on the importance of family. With the young audiences probably not caring about family, the four-time NBA champion thought it was important to remind them of their priorities.

Shaquille O’Neal said that his children helped him change

The Lakers no. 34’s appearance on the show was taken seriously, as the crowd had insightful questions to ask him. One of the questions was about the emotional integrity of a human being and how to not lose perspective. The basketball legend didn’t shy away from the question and candidly shared his own experience as a young achiever.

“I’ve always had a switch. I can tell that we’re all hustlers in here. But you gotta turn it off. When you come home to your wife and your kids, turn it off,” O’Neal confidently answered.

He further added, “And when I started having children, that helped me. Before I had kids, I’d just tear my house up” 

Shaquille O’Neal had previously mentioned that the birth of his daughter turned off his anger because of how precious she was to him. Despite everything, his first marriage couldn’t survive as the Los Angeles Lakers superstar was in a tough and emotionally challenging space at that time.

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The Basketball superstar pays around $20,000 to his ex-wife as alimony and child support. The divorce was an ugly scene, as there was a lot of anger among the affected parties. Naturally, his advice to the audience came from a place of experience, as his anger might’ve gotten the best of his relationships.

O’Neal during his divorce

During the Big Shaq podcast, O’Neal once mentioned how difficult his divorce was. The four-time NBA Champion, who had played with the top players, was getting deeply affected by it.

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O’Neal’s divorce coincided with the Miami Heat 2006 NBA Finals, and he mentioned how he was forced to put the responsibilities on the shoulders of Dwyane Wade.

What do you think about O’Neal’s advice? Let us know in the comments below.