
via Getty
MIAMI, FLORIDA – MAY 21: Shaquille O’Neal looks on prior to a game between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on May 21, 2023 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

via Getty
MIAMI, FLORIDA – MAY 21: Shaquille O’Neal looks on prior to a game between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on May 21, 2023 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
NBA Legend Shaquille O?Neal has shared two valuable life lessons in an interview. Having played for 19 seasons in the NBA with 4 championship rings to his name, Shaq has a number of tales to tell.
Before joining the NBA, he was coached by his father, who was a military drill sergeant. He reflected on the two most valuable lessons he learned in his whole life, one of them being the heartbreaking tragedy of a 6’8 NBA star, which he recalled as ?worst a** whopping? lesson.
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Life lessons from a basketball legend: Shaquille O’Neal’s wisdom for success
Shaquille O’Neal, in a frank interview, discussed two of the most important lessons he has learned throughout the course of his life. He began with a discussion on the value of education in general, rather than just formal schooling.
?The one you have to educate yourself now when I say education they know it’s always about go to school right, we come from the same place how many people we see do something on the corner we educate ourselves and we do it a little better a little bigger,??he asked.

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F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice And Qualifying Shaquille O Neal before the qualifying ahead of the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on November 19, 2022. Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates Copyright: xJakubxPorzyckix
Shaq has personal experience with the value of education and the pursuit of continuous improvement in overcoming hardship. His second point leads to learning and gaining wisdom from the experiences of others around us.
?Second thing is ?watch?, there’s so much information going on right now, you can watch like me I watch people’s mistakes.?
Shaq drew on an event from his time as a child to reflect on the fatal death of Len Bias. He explained how his father’s emotional response to the experience shaped his lifelong conviction that he should avoid drugs at all costs. ?Worst a** whooping I ever received on life was when Len Bias overdose.?
By sharing these two pieces of advice, Shaquille O’Neal offers guidance that is applicable to life beyond the basketball court.
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A father’s influence: Dell Curry’s own experience in professional basketball
In the documentary Stephen Curry: Underrated, Dell Curry, the father of Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, reflected on a pivotal moment that would shape his son’s future in basketball.
As a high schooler, Stephen had a unique shooting style. He used a waist-level shot that had served him well thus far. However, Dell recognized that to excel at the NBA level, his son needed to make a significant adjustment.
Understanding the challenges that lay ahead, Dell encouraged his son to change his shooting technique. He helped him develop a completely different set of muscles to enhance his game.
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This crucial piece of advice from a father who had experienced the professional basketball world himself proved instrumental in Curry’s journey to becoming a basketball superstar.
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