NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and greatness go hand in hand. The former Los Angeles Lakers star has 4 NBA titles to his name alongside numerous other individual accolades.
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However, he couldn’t have achieved anything without the help of his surroundings, especially his parents. O’Neal has talked on numerous occasions about the huge role his parents and his mother, in particular, played in his life.
Interestingly enough, during an appearance on a podcast with Oprah Winfrey, Shaq revealed the reason behind his name. While most of the people in his household had common names, Shaq’s mother wanted to name her son differently.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 23: Former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal attends the unveiling of the Shaq Courts at the Doolittle Complex donated by Icy Hot and the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation in partnership with the city of Las Vegas on October 23, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Icy Hot)
Shaq said, “So one day I finally asked my mother. I said, “We have Bryans, Kennys, and Greggs in our family. Why’d you name me Shaquille?” She said I wanted to name you something that meant something.” Shaquille O’Neal‘s mother, Lucille underwent a lot of hardships to raise her son in the right manner.
Shaquille O’Neal credited his mother for his success
There is no denying that Shaquille O’Neal is one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA. He has 4 NBA titles to his name with the Lakers and the Miami Heat. Moreover, he has a regular season MVP award and three Final MVP awards.
However, he has never had it easy. O’Neal belonged to a struggling household and he was bound to change his situation with his basketball prowess.
While delivering a speech at an event hosted by Carnival Cruise Line, the former NBA champion brought the audience to tears with his words. O’Neal said, “So mom from the bottom of my heart, I want to say thank you. I love you, I appreciate you, I wouldn’t be here without you.”
Safe to say, Lucille’s hard work has paid off massive as O’Neal is one of the most recognizable faces in the world.
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What is your favorite memory of Shaquille O’Neal? Let us know in the comments down below.
