Shaquille O’Neal is pulling back the curtain on one of the more difficult chapters of his Hall of Fame career: his long-running dependence on painkillers.
Speaking candidly about his time in the NBA, the four-time champion revealed that for nearly 20 years, painkillers became a regular part of his daily routine as he fought through the constant aches and injuries that come with life in the league. Rather than strictly following dosage instructions, O’Neal admitted to self-medicating in larger amounts just to stay on the court.
“I would do homeboy math. If it said take one, I’m taking three,” said Shaq, via the Los Angeles Times. “It was a club sandwich, fries, and two pills for 19 years.”
Shockingly, O’Neal was never suspended for drug use during his 19-year career, but it turns out that he was doing so many drugs that it permanently damaged his kidneys. Instead of taking medication to dull the pain, Shaq developed a dependency on painkillers that was raising concern among his doctors.
“Sometimes I couldn’t play if I didn’t take it. All it did was mask the pain…. Had a lot of painkillers. I got limited kidney stuff now going on. I don’t have the full range, but I took so many painkillers that [doctors are] saying, ‘Hey, man, we don’t need you taking that stuff now. You got to be careful.’”
Every NBA player has their vice. For some (like Michael Porter Jr.), it’s women. For others (like Malik Beasley), it’s gambling and sports betting. Then there are guys like Shaq, who struggled with substance abuse. While it may not have been obvious at the time, O’Neal had a drug problem during his Lakers days that threatened to derail his career.
As a 7’1″, 325-pound giant, O’Neal was plagued with injuries throughout his career, and, like anyone would, he sought many different ways to endure. Of course, nothing worked quite like the painkillers, and as time went on, he upped his dosage to meet his growing demand.
Fortunately, Shaq was never caught, and he managed to end his addiction without the most serious consequences. Today, the NBA legend is considered one of the best players ever with career averages of 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game on 66.7% shooting.
It’s hard to say how his addiction to painkillers might have impacted his career, but he doesn’t seem to have any regrets about how it all played out. Being drugged up helped Shaq play through the pain, which may have helped extend his career. Of course, it came at the cost of his long-term health, which may never be the same again.
Shaq’s story is a reminder that even the biggest and most dominant figures in sports are not immune to the physical and mental toll of a long NBA career. While his dominance on the court will forever be part of basketball history, his battle with painkillers serves as a cautionary tale about the hidden struggles athletes face behind the scenes, and the price they sometimes pay for greatness.
