Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal… pardon me if I fan-girl a bit. This man is HUGE, and it has nothing to do with his physical size (which, coincidentally, is also HUGE). Better known as “Shaq,” he has been a big name in the United States since the early 1990s. We bet you have heard of Shaq, even if you have never been a basketball fan. Many younger folks only know him from recent TV commercials for Eco-Tank printers (Epson) or The General car insurance.
Shaq is one of the most well-known faces when it comes to commercial endorsements. During an interview with Sportskeeda, Shaq opened up about why he agreed to do commercials for The General. When he was in college, he could barely afford Ramen noodles. He scraped together enough money to buy an old Ford Bronco. The dealership told him he needed insurance to drive off the lot. After fruitless calls to several insurers, Shaq told the dealer to cancel the deal because he couldn’t afford insurance. The dealer had him call The General, and the rest is history. But that isn’t the most interesting fact about Shaq that we discovered!
1. As A Basketball Great, Shaq Missed Half His Free Throws!
Shaq was an inside guy on the court. Playing the position of center, not many people encroached on his court space. During a professional basketball career that spanned 19 years, he carried a pitiful free throw percentage, missing half of his shots from the line.
2. Shaq Has Made 3,200 Dunk Shots!
As a center, Shaq had ample opportunity to use his 7’1″ tall, 325-pound frame to dominate the area under the hoop. If his team could pass the ball through defenders to the big man, it would be a quick trip to slam the ball through the net. Shaq’s dunks were notorious for shattering the backboards on the court, requiring mid-game emergency repairs. His equipment wreckage record even forced the NBA to enact a new rule that made breaking the rim or backboard an automatic technical foul.
3. Shaq Only Made ONE Three-Point Shot In His Career!
The three-point shot was first legal in the NBA in 1979 (also Magic Johnson’s and Larry Bird’s rookie year). Despite it being a part of the NBA for more than a decade, Shaq only made ONE three-point shot during his entire career! He did score plenty of goals from under the net, though, so we can forgive his lack of a long game.
4. Shaq The Rapper?
Believe it or not, Shaq has recorded and released four rap albums since breaking into the genre in 1993. “Shaq Diesel,” his debut album, sold more than one million copies and went platinum!
5. Wait… Shaq Has Been In How Many Movies?
In addition to basketball, business, the rap industry, and his commercial stardom, Shaq also has a list of movie credits under his belt. Is there anything that this man hasn’t done? He even dances!
6. Charities Enjoy The Benevolence of Shaq
When it comes to making contributions and working with charitable organizations, Shaq is a well-known name. The majority of his charity involvement includes those organizations specializing in helping kids and families. Some of his favorite charities include Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Communities in Schools, Be The Match, Free The Children, Phoenix House, Kids Wish Network, PeyBack Foundation, Centre ValBio, and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. While he has been accused at times of using charity donations as publicity stunts, we think his overall record speaks for itself. This man has trouble saying “No” to those in need.
7. Shaq LOVES Nicknames!
Creativity seems to be a large part of the large man. One of his skills is penning clever nicknames for himself and things around him. We will never forget the “Shaq Attaq.” One of his nicknames, “Shaq Fu,” is now a character in a popular video game. Early in his career, he used “The Diesel” as a nickname, and that morphed into the title of his rap album. He doesn’t stop at creating nicknames for himself. When he lived in Miami, he dubbed his massive mansion, “Shaqapulco.” The gym at his home even has a nickname; “The Shaq Center.”
After our research into this amazing man, we are more starstruck than ever! We hope you enjoyed our list of some of the things that make Shaq a true legend in every sense of the word. In a career that spanned from 1992 until 2011, he will always be remembered for his on-court prowess. But he will also leave an off-court legacy with his multiple talents and side hustles.
As he works through his retirement, with pokers in many different fires, Shaq continues to change the way we think about professional athletes. During an interview with CNBC, he said, “I’ve always been a businessman who is athletic.”
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.
