You know him on the basketball court, the silver screen and the recording studio - Shaquille O'Neal! At 7'1 and 315 pounds he is hard to miss and impossible to dis(respect).
Commonly known as the player that took over the top spot after Michael Jordan's retirement, Shaq has come a long way from his humble beginnings as a "military brat". Born on March 6, 1972, in a poor area of Newark as Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, Shaq's childhood was spent with his parents, Lucille and Philip O'Neal. He has two sisters, Lateefah and Ayesha. He also has one brother, Jamal. Shaq and his family grew up on Army bases in New Jersey, Georgia, Germany and San Antonio.
Growing up in different places did not allow Shaq to establish long-term childhood relationships. Making friends did not come easy for a 13 year old at 6'5". Making enemies did not come easy either. Shaq was simply an outcast during his childhood, because of his stature. In order to fit in, he entered into mischievous behavior by carrying out various childhood pranks.
As his childhood pranks escaladed and he got into more trouble, Shaq changed strategies. He decided to play sports such as baseball, football and basketball. Still not in control of his ever-growing body, he did not excel in these sports. In the 9th grade he was cut from the basketball team. Lucky for Shaq, his father was transferred and Shaq ended up in San Antonio at Robert G. Cole Senior High School. He earned a place on the team and took his team to 68-1. That year he averaged 32 points, 22 rebounds and 8 blocked shots per game!
Winners never quit and neither did Shaq. He continued to practice during high school and improved his game. After high school, he wrote the coach at LSU and told him that he was interested in playing for the team. Coach Brown accepted his request and Shaq became an asset to LSU.
Shaq joined the NBA draft his junior year at LSU and was picked up by the Orlando Magic in the first round as the first pick! In his first year with the Magic, he was awarded the Rookie of the Year award. He was also chosen for that year's All-Star game. In his second year with the Magic, the team made it all the way to the finals for the first time! When they got there however, the Houston Rockets took advantage of the Magic's weak points and swept them.
As a newcomer to the NBA, Shaq decided to again, improve his game. For the next two years he worked on perfecting his technique. An injury that put him on the sidelines for one year did not daunt him.
In 1996, Shaq became a free agent and accepted a $120 million dollar offer from the LA Lakers. This move had multiple advantages for Shaq. He could now establish himself as a movie star, rapper and businessman.
He succeeded in his movie career with the movie Kazaam, where a young boy inadvertently releases a giant, 3,000 year-old genie (Shaquille O'Neal) from an abandoned boom-box. Now the grateful gargantuan must grant his tiny, non-believing savior three wishes. Many children remember Shaq as the genie from the movie. His movie credits include, Freddy Got Fingered (2001), Good Burger (1997), Steel (1997), and Blue Chips (1994).
As a rapper Shaq released five rap albums; Shaq Diesel, Shaq Fu: Da Return, You Can't Stop the Reign, Respect and a greatest hits album.
As a business man, Shaq owns a record label and clothing line entitled Twism.
On the court, Shaq is a force to be dealt with seriously. He is continuously triple teamed, yet manages to consistently score. In the 2005-2006 season, Shaq will be scoring for the Miami Heat.
