Aoife Jacobs
Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal, also known as “Shaq,” is a former American professional basketball player who now works as a sports analyst on the television show Inside the NBA. O’Neal is primarily regarded as one of the all-time great basketball centers.
Shaquille O’Neal | Early Life, Career, and Family
O’Neal was born on the 6th of March, 1972, in Newark, New Jersey, to Lucille O’Neal and Joe Toney. O’Neal was born into a family of tall people. The O’Neals eventually settled in San Antonio, Texas. At the age of 16, O’Neal had grown to 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) and began playing basketball at Robert G. Cole High School.
After graduating high school, O’Neal enrolled at Louisiana State University (LSU). While at LSU, O’Neal was a two-time All-American, two-time SEC Player of the Year, and received the Adolph Rupp Trophy as NCAA men’s basketball player of the year in 1991.
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Shaquille O’Neal | Career
Way to NBA
The Orlando Magic selected him in the 1992 NBA draft. O’Neal became the first player in NBA history to be named Player of the Week in his debut. The Magic finished 41-41, 20 games better than the previous year, but were ousted from the playoffs due to a tiebreaker with the Indiana Pacers.
During O’Neal’s second season, Hill was the coach, while Guokas was assigned to the front office.
O’Neal’s scoring average improved to 29.4 points per game, and he now leads the NBA in field goal percentage at 60%. O’Neal got his first triple-double of his career on November 20, 1993, against the New Jersey Nets, scoring 24 points and grabbing 28 rebounds.
In his third season, 1994-95, O’Neal led the NBA in scoring with a 29.3-point average. O’Neal missed 28 games due to injuries during the 1995-96 season.
Los Angeles Lakers
The media reported on the team’s first full day at the Olympics in Atlanta that O’Neal will sign a seven-year, $121 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers won 56 games in the 1996-97 season.
On December 17, 1996, O’Neal shoved Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls; Rodman’s teammates Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan held Rodman and prevented more confrontation. The Lakers finished 31-19 during the lockout-shortened season.
In 1999, the Lakers hired Phil Jackson as head coach before the 1999-2000 season. On November 10, 1999, O’Neal and Charles Barkley were ejected from a game against the Houston Rockets.
O’Neal was also selected the regular season MVP in 1999-2000, falling one vote short of being the NBA’s first unanimous MVP. O’Neal fouled out in Game 3 of the 2001 NBA Finals against the 76ers while supporting Defensive Player of the Year Dikembe Mutombo.
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He was involved in a stunning on-court altercation against the Chicago Bulls in January 2002. Due to the toe surgery, O’Neal missed the first 12 games of the 2002-03 season.
Miami Heat
On July 14, 2004, O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in exchange for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and a future first-round lottery pick. When he signed with the Heat, O’Neal promised Miami fans that he would bring a championship to the city.
In August 2005, O’Neal agreed to a five-year, $100 million contract with the Heat. Supporters lauded O’Neal’s willingness to accept a wage cut, as well as the Heat’s decision to keep O’Neal on the team permanently. They said that O’Neal was worth more than $20 million per year, especially when compared to lesser-paid players.
O’Neal injured his right ankle in the second game of the 2005-06 season and missed the next 18 games. O’Neal scored his second career triple-double against the Toronto Raptors on April 11, 2006, with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists.
In the 2006 NBA Playoffs, the Heat played the youthful Chicago Bulls, and O’Neal had a dominant 27-point, 16-rebound, and 5-block performance in game one, followed by a 22-point performance in game two to help Miami grab a 2-0 series lead.
O’Neal missed 35 games during the 2006-07 season because of a left knee injury that required surgery in November. In a repeat from the previous season, the Heat faced the Bulls in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
O’Neal had a rough start to the 2007-08 season, with career lows in points, rebounds, and blocks. In 2007-08, O’Neal appeared in 33 games for the Miami Heat before being traded to the Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix Suns
In exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, O’Neal was acquired by the Phoenix Suns in February 2008 from the Miami Heat, who had a 9-37 record at the time.
O’Neal made his Suns debut against his previous Lakers squad on February 20, 2008, scoring 15 points and grabbing 9 rebounds.
Eventually, O’Neal preferred his new role with the Suns over his prior one with the Heat. O’Neal credited his extended career to the Suns’ training staff.
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Moreover, O’Neal averaged 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game in the 2008-09 season, propelling the Suns to a 23-18 record and second place in their division.
Cleveland Cavaliers
On June 25, 2009, O’Neal was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Sasha Pavlovic, Ben Wallace, $500,000, and a 2010 second-round lottery pick.
On February 25, 2010, while attempting to shoot against Boston Celtics guard Glen Davis, O’Neal suffered a severe right thumb injury.
He had thumb surgery on March 1 and returned to the game in time for the first round of the playoffs. During the 2009-10 season, O’Neal averaged career lows in almost every major statistical category while playing a far less role than in previous years.
Boston Celtics
On August 4, 2010, the Celtics announced the signing of O’Neal. The deal was for two years at the veteran minimum wage, with a total value of $2.8 million. The Celtics made his debut with him wearing the number 36 on August 10, 2010.
In the first round of the 2011 playoffs, O’Neal did not play. He declined additional cortisone shots and returned in the second round, but he only played 12 minutes in two games as the Heat eliminated the Celtics from the playoffs.
On the 1st of June, 2011, O’Neal announced his retirement via social media.
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Musical Career
In 1993, O’Neal began composing rap songs. He released five studio albums and one compilation album. Despite the fact that his rapping abilities were initially mocked.
O’Neal collaborated with Michael Jackson on “2 Bad,” a song from Jackson’s 1995 album HIStory. In July 2017, O’Neal released a diss track addressed against LaVar Ball, the father of NBA point guard Lonzo Ball. On October 23, 2021, O’Neal made his debut as DJ DIESEL on the bassPOD stage at the 2021 Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Shaquille O’Neal | Social Media
Facebook: 9.5M Followers
Instagram: 28.2M Followers
Twitter: 15.9M Followers
Shaquille O’Neal | Body Measurements
Shaq weighed around 230 pounds during his rookie season. His bodily measurements are shown below.
- chest: 57 in (145 cm)
- Biceps / Arms: 20 in or 51 cm
- waist: 48 in (122 cm)
Shaq’s feet are extremely noteworthy; he is 7-foot-1 and wears Size 22 shoes.
Shaquille O’Neal | Net Worth
Shaquille O’Neal’s net worth is estimated to be over $450 million. He gathered his income from different teams from years of playing.
Real State
Shaq’s main residence in recent years has been a sprawling 12-bedroom house outside Orlando. The main house measures 35,000 square feet and contains a 6,000-square-foot indoor basketball court, a 17-car garage, and a 10-foot privacy wall.
He first listed the mansion in May 2018 for $28 million. In September 2020, Shaq set the beginning price of the house to $19.5 million. He accepted the low price of $16.5 million in January 2021. Shaq owns a 15-acre property in suburban Atlanta that he paid $1.15 million in 2017.
He paid $1.8 million for a home in Bell Canyon, a gated enclave in Los Angeles, in 2018. At the end of 2019, he advertised this home for $2.5 million.
Shaquille O’Neal | Personal Life
Shaq married Shaunie Nelson in December 2002. Their four children are Shareef, Amirah, Shaqir, and Me’arah. Shaq also has a daughter, Taahirah, from a prior relationship with Arnetta Yardbourgh. In September 2007, he filed for divorce from Shaunie.
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They decided to call it quits, but Shaunie filed for divorce in November 2009. She brought up insurmountable differences.
He also dated reality star Nicole Alexander from 2010 to 2012. Since 2014, He has been dating model Laticia Rolle.
FAQs
How old is Shaquille O’Neal?
Shaquille O’Neal is now 50 years old (6 March 1972).
How much does Shaquille O’Neal make?
The annual salary of Shaquille O’Neal is expected to exceed $38 million.
How tall is Shaquille O’Neal?
Shaquille O’Neal is 7 feet and 1 inch tall (216 cm).
Quick Facts
- Full Name Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal
- Nick Name: Shaq
- Birth Place: Newark, New Jersey, United States
- Date Of Birth/Birthday: 6 March 1972
- Age: 50 years old
- Height/How Tall: In Centimetres – 216 cm, In Feet and Inches – 7′ 1″
- Weight: In Kilograms – 147 Kg, In Pounds – 325 lbs
- Eye Colour: Dark brown
- Hair Colour: Bald
- Education: Barry University, University of Phoenix, Louisiana State University, Robert G. Cole Junior-Senior High School, Syracuse University, New York Film Academy
- Religion: Muslim
- Nationality: American
- Zodiac Sign: Pisces
- Gender: Male
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Children: Shareef O’Neal, Shaqir O’Neal, Taahirah O’Neal, Myles B. O’Neal, Me’arah O’Neal, Amirah O’Neal
- Profession: American former professional basketball player
- Net Worth: $450 Million
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