Shaquille O’Neal didn’t just stumble into his “Most Dominant Ever” persona — he scripted it before he even played an NBA game. In a now-famous Reebok commercial, a fresh-faced Shaq stood alongside Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Bill Walton, receiving the symbolic “torch” from the greats. But not all of those relationships were smooth. With Walton, there was tension for years, and even with Kareem, it wasn’t exactly warm. Still, it’s not criticism from legends that has stuck with Shaq — it’s something far more unexpected: a lesson on cyberbullying from, of all people, a nuclear physicist.

“I work a lot in law enforcement. And when the term cyberbullying came up, I didn’t understand it,” Shaq told Dax Shepard on Armchair Expert. “Like, if he’s bullying you, you don’t know him… why don’t you block him?” With 35.1 million Instagram followers and a lifetime’s worth of commercials keeping him in the public eye, O’Neal’s social media philosophy is simple — block and move on. But it took that physicist’s blunt laughter to make it click: “Why do you care?” The moment was pure Shaq — unexpectedly layered, a little self-deprecating, and still carrying a lesson.

During the candid conversation, Shaquille O’Neal continued, “Because he said, ‘Who is that guy?’ I said, ‘I don’t know.’ He said, ‘So why do you care?‘” To make his point even better, the nuclear physicist used two Lakers legends’ names. “‘What did Jerry West say?’ ‘Jerry West loves me.’ All right, then. ‘What did Kareem say?’ Kareem’s a little hard. ‘Okay. Well, you you listen to people like that.‘” Instead of listening to the critics on social media or any other medium. The advice was to introspect about what other greats are talking about.

Shaq’s outlook on criticism also reflects a broader generational gap in the NBA. He often contrasts his era — where veterans’ tough words were taken as a challenge — with today’s game, where he feels players respond more defensively to public critique. With massive contracts and social media amplifying every comment, Shaq believes modern stars are less conditioned to absorb and channel criticism the way Kareem’s generation expected.

Abdul-Jabbar was indeed hard on Shaq from the beginning. Once the 4x NBA champion said, “Kareem used to kill me all the time…“It eventually led them not to form a solid bond. Even after Shaq joined the Lakers in 1996, the two never forged a connection. But this was not because they secretly hated each other.

Captain speaks of his ‘hatred’ for Shaquille O’Neal

From one great Lakers center to another, one would assume the bond would be great. But unlike Magic Johnson, who often shared advice with Shaq, Captain KAJ never had that relationship. In 2023, Abdul-Jabbar said, “He used to think I hated him and that was never the case.” Then, during a live NBA broadcast, Kareem joined in to show support for O’Neal and clear the air about their relationship. “I want to tell Shaq this evening because he felt I was shaming you or ignoring you.”

Their relationship didn’t start on the warmest note. Back in Shaq’s playing days, Kareem was famously reserved toward the younger star. While Shaq interpreted Kareem’s distance as a sign of disapproval, Kareem reportedly viewed Shaq as being too showy and focused on entertainment rather than pure fundamentals. This subtle tension lingered for years, creating a dynamic where public respect was there, but personal closeness was missing.

Kareem’s critiques were never just for the sake of criticism — they carried weight. At various points, he questioned Shaq’s conditioning and commitment, urging him to take his training more seriously. While Shaq initially bristled at those remarks, he later admitted that they fueled him during championship runs.

He directed the conversation towards Shaquille O’Neal and addressed the undercurrent beef between the two. “That would never be the case. You showed them what you were all about the way you crushed all the centers in the league for a couple of years there. I’m on your side, Shaq. Don’t ever let anybody tell you anything different.” It didn’t take long for the Big Aristotle to acknowledge and express that there was no ill feeling towards Kareem. “Hey listen, you not speaking to me was the best thing to happen to my career because all I wanted to do was impress you sir.”

He concluded with, “I will never ever have beef with the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. You will never have to worry about that.” That’s why even in his recent chat with Shepard, Shaq fondly remembered the KAJ feelings. Those remarks only made him tougher and made him strive for more and not pay attention to critics whom he had never had any interaction with.