Shaquille O’Neal Confessed He Thinks of Himself as Iconic Movie Character Rocky Balboa: “I Don’t Consider Myself a Celebrity”

Shaquille O’Neal has one of the biggest fan followings amongst all the retired players in the world. Despite all this, he does not consider himself a celebrity.

Talking on a podcast, he revealed how he looks at himself as a celebrity and compares him to an iconic movie character. According to Shaq, he does not want to call himself a celebrity.

Shaq compared himself to the popular movie character Rocky Balboa. According to him, they both have very similar stories regarding their rise to stardom.

Shaquille O’Neal talks about his celebrity status

Talking in an interview, Shaq touched upon the topic of his celebrity status and how he never let it get out of control. The host asks,  “How did you deal with not only becoming a visible player in the league, but also a celebrity at the same time.

Shaq replies, “I think it never got out of control because even to this day, I don’t consider myself a celebrity. My story is like a Rocky story. Guy from the neighborhood that’s loved and respected in the neighborhood had an opportunity to do something for the community or do something for a state.”

He adds, ” That’s my story. My story is not superstar, entourage, 50 agents, 100 diamond chains. My story is of a regular guy.”

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Although Shaq might not consider himself a celebrity, his following, and net worth certainly qualify him for celebrity status. 

What is his net worth?

Shaquille O’Neal has a humongous net worth around the $400 million mark, according to Celebrity Net Worth. His NBA career spanned over 19 seasons in which he earned $292 million in salaries alone!

Despite having retired from the league for quite some time now, he earns $60 million yearly from various business deals and ventures. Moreover, his deal with NBA on TNT makes sure he earns a fortune.

Has Shaq acted in movies?

NBA players and their popularity make them a good choice for movie roles. The likes of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Shaquille O’Neal have all acted in movies, majorly in cameo roles.

Shaq has acted in popular movies like Uncle Grandpa, The Smurfs 2, and Grown Ups 2. All of his roles in these movies have been cameos.

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What is your favorite memory of Shaquille O’Neal? Let us know in the comments below.