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Shaquille O’Neal offers emotional tribute to people who inspired him
By Keith Farner
Published:
Shaquille O’Neal on the weekend that the NBA honored its 75th anniversary team gave a passionate and emotional tribute to those who inspired him to become a dominant big man in the NBA.
O’Neal on the set of TNT at the NBA All-Star Game reflected on spending time with some all-time greats, and how several of them talked with him as he entered the league. He also shared thoughts on those who kept him in line as an adolescent.
O’Neal started by thanking Sargeant Phillip Arthur Harrison, his step father.
“He’s the guy that told me one day that I would be here,” Shaq said. “I was a medium level, high level juvenile delinquent, was always told I would never ever make it. He convinced me to do well in school. Do well in school for me was all Cs. I get all Cs, he takes me to Madison Square Garden, Dr. J goes baseline, throws it down, the crowd goes crazy. I look at him and say ‘Sir, this is what I want to be when I grow up.’ His exact words, if you listen to me, I’ll make you one of those most dominant big men ever.”
O’Neal also said he wanted to be like Magic Johnson when he was younger, and he also thanked a host of big men and some of the all-time greats as he went on an extended monologue.
Here’s the full video of his appreciation:
.@SHAQ delivered a powerful, emotional tribute to all of those who inspired him to become one of the most dominant NBA big men ever. @NBAonTNT #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/DzUgKkm0r6
— TurnerSportsPR (@TurnerSportsPR) February 21, 2022
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.