“Big Knucklehead” Shaquille O’Neal’s Mother Receives Due Credit at Son’s Jersey Retirement: “Thank You Mama Lucille”

It is a glorious night in NBA history. Jersey retirements are always a special occasion. However, when it is the first jersey to be retired in the franchise’s history, the event turns doubly spectacular. That is the situation Shaquille O’Neal found himself in. The man to put the Orlando Magic on the map after their introduction as a team in 1989, O’Neal was ready to receive the prestigious honor. However, there was one name in particular that got some truly deserved credit on the evening.

Before the official ceremony began, the big man was given a glorious throne chair at center court as the franchise gushed on about his impact. Whether it was lead commentator, current owner, or former teammates, the event was a wonderful celebration of the player and human that Shaq is.

The last of those would see his “best friend” and the man he credits with teaching him to behave like a professional once he came to the NBA, Dennis Scott, shift the focus to the woman who made Shaq the man he is today, Dr. Lucille O’Neal.

“So imma start off thanking Mama Lucille…Coz she raised this big knucklehead…The next person I wanna thank is Pat Williams because being in Philadelphia, he flew down to Florida, and convinced David Stern that you guys would love NBA basketball.” 

There is some truth to the statement from Scott. While growing up, and the Los Angeles Lakers legend can attest to this,  O’Neal was regularly a nuisance.

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Shaquille O’Neal and his days as an unruly child

During his early years, Big Diesel wasn’t the man he would come to be today. Regularly unruly, Shaq was a major problem for Lucille. Further, he has spoken at length about how she wasn’t always proud of him, as he was in his juvenile delinquent days, especially till the age of 15.

However, in that scenario, his stepfather, a military sergeant, played a major role in shaping him into a better individual. Whether it was harsh reality checks or tough love, he played a big role in switching the 1992 Rookie of the Year’s mindset. Perhaps, a trip back to his old hunting grounds is what caused him to remember those days as well, as he turned emotional wishing for his presence.

But, with Lucille and the city of Orlando in his corner, the entire event would turn out to be a heartfelt celebration of Superman. 

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