Shaquille O’Neal has been known his whole life for being a big man. He was unstoppable in the NBA in his prime simply because teams could not contend with his immense size.
And Shaquille O’Neal didn’t just become a 7-foot behemoth overnight, he was big for his age at most points growing up. He told the story once of how his mother, Lucille, physically fought a bus driver because he refused to believe that Shaq was two years old
“She tells me a story, that as a two-year-old, I was very, very oversized,” Shaquille O’Neal said. “Of course, you know, kids three and under ride the bus for free. So she would drag me up to the bus, and the guy was like, ‘Hey, you gotta pay the extra money.’ And my mom would say, ‘No, he’s only two.’ I’ve actually seen her fistfight with a bus driver one time because the bus driver refused to believe I was just two years old.”
(starts at 00:49 minutes)
Shaquille O’Neal’s family was a big influence on him and who he became when he grew up. It wasn’t easy for his mother, Lucille, and she revealed that they didn’t have a lot when Shaq was young. But things worked out, Shaquille O’Neal went on to become one of the greatest NBA players in history, and built a fortune that anyone would be envious of. He used a lot of that for his mother as well, like the time he got her a new car from the first million dollars that he earned.
Shaquille O’Neal Also Revealed Why His Mother Gave Him His Name
Shaquille O’Neal has a unique name and many have wondered why he was named what he was. In the same short interview shared by OWN, O’Neal explained how his mother chose his name.
“We have Brians and Kennys, and Mikes, and Gregs in our family, why did you name me Shaquille?” Shaq asked his mom, who said, “‘I wanted to name you something that meant something.’”
“My name is Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal. Shaquille is an Islamic name, it means ‘little’. Rashaun means ‘Warrior.’ She (Shaq’s mother) said, ‘You’re my little Warrior, I fought with you, I fought for you.‘”
That is a beautiful name and an even better story as to why it was picked. Shaquille O’Neal has been blessed with a lot, and he has made the most of his blessings. But the role his mother played in making him the man he became cannot be overlooked in the slightest.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.