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“I Used to Kick People”: Shaquille O’Neal, With Size 22 Feet, Made Violent Soccer Claim Years Ago

Published 01/06/2023, 11:30 AM EST

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NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal was one of the most dominant big men thanks to his size and athleticism. With this ability, he could have played football if he wanted to. Shaq would arguably be an absolute nightmare for his opponents on the gridiron. But could the Los Angeles Lakers legend have played soccer? Apparently, the four-time NBA champion tried his hands, or rather feet, at soccer. Albeit, it was not a very pleasant experience for his opponents.

It is safe to say that when Big Diesel came into the league, the fans had not witnessed anyone as big as him to be as swift. Despite his strong physical attributes, Shaq was very nimble which gave him a huge advantage.

Shaquille O’Neal on playing soccer

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The Shaq docuseries on Hulu has revealed some interesting things about Shaquille O’Neal. The Big Diesel tells his story on the show as he talks about various important moments throughout his life. Some of Shaq’s family members and close friends played their part in the series as well. In one instance during episode one, Shaq talks about entering the league and adjusting to its popularity. He disclosed that he used to stutter when he was nervous and added he had to practice speaking to the media.

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The 15x All-Star then stated that he did not want to come off as very intelligent and wanted to be funny, confident, cool, and humble while speaking to the media. When Shaq said he played every sport including soccer, the host asked whether he was good at the sport. The Lakers legend jokingly retorted, “I used to kick people.”

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The host and the people watching could not hold their laughter. The host replied, “I’m not sure that’s the point of the game!” Making the crowd go gaga.

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From the very beginning, the Superman understood the importance of media and made sure to use it to his advantage. He was one of the best-marketed and most loved athletes thanks to his abilities on the court and his funny personality.

Shaq was more than an athlete

Shaquille O’Neal was a master at marketing from the very beginning. The fans loved him for his funny antics. The 2000 MVP once revealed he looked at NBA legends that came before him to help himself with the media and fans.

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Shaq stated that he saw people loved Magic Johnson for his smile and incorporated it into his personality. Furthermore, he also helped his teammates with their marketability. He played a huge role and helped NBA legend Dwyane Wade maximize his superstardom.

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Written by:

Bagavathi Eswaran

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Bagavathi Eswaran is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He has been playing the game of basketball for more than 20 years now and has also been following the NBA for more than 10 years. After not being able to go pro, this former college player decided to join the IT industry.
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