Shaquille O'Neal biography
Uploaded by MJ23 on Jun 21, 2005
Shaquille O'Neal biography
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...