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Shaquille O Neal and Phil Jackson sit down with Hannah Storm and discuss their playing days as part of the American Express Teamed Up series. USA – 2016 – Shaq and Phil Jackson Teamed Up with American Express PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAlexxMateox Shaquille o Neal and Phil Jackson sit Down with Hannah Storm and discuss their Playing Days AS Part of The American Shipping Teamed Up Series USA 2016 Shaq and Phil Jackson Teamed Up with American Shipping PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright xAlexxMateox

via Imago
Shaquille O Neal and Phil Jackson sit down with Hannah Storm and discuss their playing days as part of the American Express Teamed Up series. USA – 2016 – Shaq and Phil Jackson Teamed Up with American Express PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAlexxMateox Shaquille o Neal and Phil Jackson sit Down with Hannah Storm and discuss their Playing Days AS Part of The American Shipping Teamed Up Series USA 2016 Shaq and Phil Jackson Teamed Up with American Shipping PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright xAlexxMateox
The NBA was not the only dream Shaquille O’Neal had. He wanted to emulate his (step)father, Sergeant Philip Harrison’s career. But a full-time professional sports job would come in the way of a military career. So he did the next best thing – enrolling as a voluntary reserve officer in at least three counties. Serving in law enforcement at the Los Angeles Port Authority, and the sheriff’s offices in Henry County, Georgia, and Broward County, Florida comes with an annual token salary of $1. Not a big deal to the $500 million worth Shaq. An additional perk was having the badge to prank his famous friends.
Especially when he began serving in the LA Port Police in the early aughts. O’Neal was about one championship in and the most recognizable big man when he got his badge (he still has it and still helps in recruitment). That’s when we got many stories of Lakers players and Hollywood celebrities getting pulled over by a gigantic cop. One of his victims who won’t forget the experience is Mitch Richmond.
Richmond went from the Warriors’ ‘Run TMC’ era to winning a championship with the Shaq & Kobe duo in his final NBA season at the Lakers. On Byron Scott’s Fastbreak, Richmond recalled an incident that went down during his Lakers stint.
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“Shaq. I can remember, I’m driving and I’m kind of a little late for practice, you know, this day, because I’m living out in Cali. Yeah, I’m a little late. I’m getting there, but practice ain’t start. I’m just late for getting there,” Richmond began, and got a little teased by Byron because he was late to film the podcast too. So being late is Richmond’s thing. And there are plenty of NBA coaches who don’t stand for that.
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So Richmond tried to salvage it to explain why he was in a hurry that day. “I wasn’t late for the practice to start. I was just late. What I usually get, I’m trying to, because I like to get my ice on, my warm up.” He went on to explain that he was speeding a little too much to get on time. It got him in ‘big’ trouble. “I’m riding. I’m flying. I get pulled over, bro. Yeah. I get pulled over. Now I’m like, you know, I’m kind of like, I’m looking in the glove compartment to get my stuff, and somebody hit on the window and I, because I didn’t look back. I just saw the, you know, it was a car that was, it wasn’t a police car.”
When he heard, “License and registration,” he recognized the cop. “I’m like, wait a minute. It was Shaq.” To clarify, 7’1″ O’Neal doesn’t fit comfortably in a standard police cruiser. He uses his own vehicle, customized for his size and official cop duty. Richmond won’t be the only celebrity who didn’t immediately realize Shaq is a real cop based on that car.
Richmond was probably worried about Phil Jackson, infamous for losing his cool when players were late to practice, especially during his Lakers stint. “I said, ‘Shaq, man, we’re going to be late for practice.” But O’Neal insisted on his license and registration once more. Cue the usual pleading. “I’m like, ‘Come on. Like, come on, dog. What you doing?”
To his shock, O’Neal said a curt, “Uh, excuse me,” and did the entire traffic stop procedure. “He read my plates. He had the thing. Read my plates to the people.” All Richmond could say at that time was, “Man, what are you doing, man?”
He never explained the aftermath of it, whether he made it to practice on time or if he got a hefty fine from Officer Diesel. But this hilarious traffic clash didn’t affect their relationship with each other or with Phil Jackson.
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Shaquille O’Neal backed his vet
When Phil Jackson came to the Lakers, his zen-like discipline often clashed with Shaquille O’Neal’s playful personality and Kobe Bryant’s stubbornness. Richmond himself recalled how Kobe cussed out the coach at times. At this time, the legendary coach was actually grateful for Mitch Richmond.

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Shaquille O Neal re. und Kobe Bryant beide Los Angeles Lakers eintr?chtig nebeneinander
Although he didn’t put the Run TMC icon in the rotation a lot, Mitch wasn’t mad about it. Jackson claimed during the 2002 playoffs that, “We have Mitch Richmond on our team, that is an elder statesman, a comedic kind of value that he brings to the team.” Richmond was the kind of vet Shaq & Kobe needed. And the favor was returned. It was O’Neal who urged Jackson to put Richmond in during the 2002 finals. The then 37-year-old vet dribbled out the clock and won the game for the Lakers.
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After being an outstanding player on poorly designed rosters, Mitch Richmond could retire with a championship ring thanks to Shaquille O’Neal and Jackson taking a chance on him. However, Rick Fox stole his rightful game ball and never returned it. And that bitterness still remains.
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