Shaquille O’Neal reveals mother Lucille O’Neal’s reason for ‘different name’
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal reveals the meaning of his name and shares insights into his beautiful relationship with his mother, Lucille O’Neal.
One of the most dominant players to ever play the game, Shaquille O’Neal was a terror on the pitch, making opponents win with his mere physical presence. However, the former six-foot center didn’t have it easy, coming from a troubled home.
Big Diesel’s father, Joe Toney, struggled with substance abuse and was jailed for drug possession when the former was a baby. However, Shaq’s mother, Lucille O’Neal, made sure that her son had the perfect education, with stepfather Phillip Arthur Harrison playing a crucial role.
Mama O’Neal had Shaq at a very young age, struggling to make ends meet with her family rendered indifferent by having a child out of wedlock.
Despite all the obstacles, Lucille succeeded and how.
During one such episode of Masterclass, the Lakers legend took us down memory lane, addressing his relationship with his mother/best friend, Lucille O’Neal, while revealing the meaning behind his name.
“Why did you call me Shaquille?”: When the Diesel asked his mother the meaning of his name.
Growing up, Shaq was never the average size of the kids in his neighborhood. At just 16 years old, the former Louisiana State University player was 6-foot-10. However, this wasn’t the only thing unique about the three-time Finals MVP, as he revealed the meaning of his name in the clip below.
“We have Brians and Kennys, Mikes and Gregs in our family, why did you call me Shaquille?” she asked the legend of the Lakers to her mother, who told her: ‘I wanted to name you something that meant something’”.
“My name is Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal. Shaquille is an Islamic name, it means ‘small’.
Rashaun means ‘Warrior’. “She (Shaq’s mother) said, ‘You are my little warrior, I fought with you, I fought for you.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDKVj48RfFY
Referring to her mother as her best friend, Shaq recounted a story of how Lucille got into a fist fight with a bus driver, who wouldn’t give Mama O’Neal a free ticket for her son even though he was 2 years old. Looking at the size of the Diesel, the bus driver refused to believe that she was less than 2 years old.
It is truly moving to see Shaq’s relationship with his mother, who despite having amassed a gargantuan net worth of $400 million, continues to stick to her roots, always taking care of her loved ones.
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