Shaquille O’Neal has one of the most unique personalities an NBA athlete can possess. The Big Diesel is 7 feet 1 inch tall and weighed around 325-pounds during his playing days. The four-time NBA champ entered the league in 1992 with Orlando Magic. It would not have been easy for O’Neal to succeed as a basketball player due to his huge physical attributes. However, the 15-time All-star managed to prevail against all odds and showcased a ton of energetic performances over the years.

Back in 2016, Shaquille O’Neal revealed during an interview that his biggest inspiration growing up was the greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali. The boxing legend passed away in 2016 as Shaq paid tribute to the legend’s legacy during his conversation with NBA TV.

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Shaq stated that Ali was the most compelling character the sport of boxing had ever seen, a civil rights leader, and a philanthropist. O’Neal reckoned that Muhammed Ali did things so many things that have been untalked about.

Shaquille O’Neal talks about his hero and biggest inspiration 

Shaq spoke to NBA TV ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals series in 2016. O’Neal shared that he was deeply influenced by Ali growing up. The three-time Finals MVP pointed out that his father found it hard to get through Shaq as a ‘medium level juvenile delinquent.’

O’Neal’s stepfather, Phillip A. Harrison, always showed him clips and quotes from Muhammad Ali. Phillip told Shaq that he came from the same place as Ali did. They both had different names and Shaq’s father was aware that kids talked about him because of his name. 

Thus, Harrison advised that if Ali could do it, O’Neal could do it too. Shaquille O’Neal added, “So, he’s definitely my hero, my kids’ hero, my family’s hero. He will definitely be missed but never forgotten.”

Rare Click of Shaq & Muhammad Ali together 

Shaq met with Muhammad Ali several times during his NBA career days. Here is one of the rare photos of Shaq towering up over the legendary boxer during their meet. 

The boxing world has not seen a better fighter than Muhammad Ali. The 6ft 3 in superstar appeared in 61 fights in his career, winning 56 of them. He won 37 fights with knockouts and lost just five in his whole career. However, his excellence prevailed beyond the limits of a boxing ring. 

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Ali actively stood up for civil rights and the rights of the Black Community. The love that people have for Ali is quite immense, even after his death. Muhammad Ali inspired many kids like Shaquille O’Neal during their early days and continues to do so until today.