Shaquille O'Neal

Background

Shaquille O’Neal was born in Newark, New Jersey. His father was Joe Toney, and his mother was Lucille O’Neal. However, Toney struggled with substance abuse and was jailed when O’Neal was an infant. O’Neal’s mother married Phillip Harrison, an Army sergeant. As a result, Phillip Harrison raised O’Neal. O’Neal is an African American, and his zodiac sign is Pisces. Harrison’s military career meant the family had to move around a lot. O’Neal’s parents moved to Germany and Texas. By the age of 16, O’Neal was already over six feet tall. He joined his high school basketball team and led the team to win the state championship.

After graduating from high school, O’Neal went to college at Louisiana State University. He was two times Southern Eastern Conference (S.E.C.) Player of the Year. O’Neal chose to leave school early to pursue his professional career. He was drafted in the N.B.A. draft by the Orlando Magic in 1992. Before joining the team at Orlando, O’Neal had a short stint with Magic Johnson in Los Angeles. O’Neal made an immediate impact in Orlando. He was named Player of the Week in his first week with the team, and it was the first time a player would achieve the feat. In 1993 O’Neal was named the N.B.A. Rookie of the Year.

O’Neal joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 on the first day of the 1996 Olympics. His signing was a record deal for the Los Angeles Lakers. O’Neal led the team to three consecutive Championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. He left the Lakers for the Miami Heats in 2004 and won his fourth championship for the Heats. He went on to play for the Phoenix Suns (2008), the Cleveland Cavaliers (2009), and the Boston Celtics (2010). O’Neal retired in 2011.