Celebrities | Pop Culture | 90s
7 Things Even Non-Sports Fans Should Know About Shaq
Shaquille O'Neal is one of those names that we all remember from our childhood. He was one of the biggest stars of the basketball world for the majority of the 90s, and he was definitely one of the most unique. He has accomplished a lot in his impressive career, but how much do you really know about him? He's done a lot of really interesting things that people seem to forget about, so let's see how much you really know about him!
1. He got his start in Germany
O'Neal actually had his first experience with a professional basketball coach in West Germany. His father was in the army and was stationed there when an LSU basketball coach came to teach a clinic. O'Neal approached the coach after it was over, and because he was 6'8" the coach thought he was a soldier. O'Neal was only 13 at the time, but his introduction to the coach helped him get his foot in the door later when he was looking to start his career.
2. He wasn't great with money
At the beginning of his career he was not making the best choices. When he received his first million dollar advance, immediately went out and bought three Mercedes (one for him, and each of his parents) as well as a bunch of suits and jewelry. He blew through the money completely before realizing that he should have saved some for taxes. He got himself a financial adviser shortly after and became better at managing his money.
3. He has released 4 albums
His first album was called Shaq Diesel that was released in 1993. His second was Shaq Fu: Da Return, followed by You Can't Stop the Reign, with his last album titled Respect.
There is a fifth album that has been completed that was supposed to be released on September 11, 2001 but it was delayed it until October. It kept getting pushed back further and further and eventually was just abandoned completely. It was called Shaquille O'Neal Presents His Superfriends. It features artistists like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, George Clinton, The Roots and Ludacris, but we don't know if it will ever be released.
4. His vertical reach was higher than anyone else's when he started
He could reach 12 feet 5 inches from a standing position when he was measured in the pre-draft workouts.
His achievements aren't limited to basketball and singing, he also has put a lot of work into his education...
5. He earned a doctoral degree
He wasn't just given an honorary diploma, he actually obtained a PhD in education. His topic of study was called "The Duality of Humor and Aggression in Leadership Styles." He earned an MBA online through the University of Phoenix saying that, “It’s just something to have on my resume (for) when I go back into reality.”
6. He was in a music video with Aaron Carter
The song is called "That's How I Beat Shaq" and it tells the story of how a teenager beat Shaq at basketball. The song was even recorded in O'Neal's house! He had his own recording studio that the Backstreet Boys had previously used, and then Aaron Carter came a couple years later. Shaq said that "it's cute" so he agreed to be in the video. “I said, ‘Yeah, put it out, let’s just have fun with it. And then we shot the video and it was awesome.”
7. His bed is big enough to fit two smart cars on it
He is a tall man, that's for sure. He is 7'1" tall, and needed a bed that would accommodate his size. But his bed is definitely taking it to the next level, because the bed he made is actually bigger than most people's bedrooms.
His custom made mattress is 15 feet by 30 feet, and has rounded edges. It is roughly 450 square feet of sleeping space. Keep in mind that a regular king size bed is about 42 square feet. His bed is ten times the size of what an average person's bed would be.