Shaquille O’Neal has impacted numerous lives on and off the court with his massive persona. Apart from being 7’1 tall and weighing 325 lbs during his NBA days, the four-time NBA champ also possesses a big heart that drives him to find happiness in doing good for others. Many fans are well aware of the Big Diesel’s kind gestures. Shaq has made countless attempts to help people by getting them out of their troubles. At the same time, he is quite close and dedicated to his family as well. In fact, during one such grand gesture, Shaquille O’Neal’s grandmother refused $6 million assistance from her millionaire grandson. However, the Los Angeles Lakers legend had some other plans.

Shaq was an immediate sensation on the court due to his dominating personality and impressive abilities on both sides of the court. In the 1992 drafts, the Orlando Magic selected Shaquille O’Neal as the first overall pick. As a rookie, the Lakers legend signed a $3 million-a-year deal with the franchise. However, after getting his first paycheck, the philanthropist Shaq decided to do something big for his loving grandmother.

Shaquille O’Neal made an enormous gesture for grandmother

In 2011, Shaquille O’Neal released his autobiography, ‘Shaq Uncut: My Story’. The book gives a deep insight into the Lakers legend’s childhood under tough financial conditions. It also provides a glimpse into his basketball journey and his opinions on various NBA players and coaches. In one of the chapters, Shaq talked about an instance when he tried to assist his grandmother with his wealth.

As per Shaq Uncut: My Story, Shaquille O’Neal revealed, “When I got my first paycheck from the Magic I wanted to buy my grandmother a $6 million house.” The 15-time All-Star tried to help his old grandmother by trying to get her a new house worth millions. However, a rejection from his grandmother prompted another move from Shaq.

The three-time Finals MVP added,?“She said, ‘No, baby, there?s a nice house down the road there, it will do just fine.’ So I bought her that house and fixed it up for her.”

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After being denied by his grandmother to spend $6 million on a house, Shaquille O’Neal took a different road by buying another property closer to his grandmother’s old home and got it renovated for her as well. However, the Lakers legend has contributed to the betterment of thousands of lives since then.

Philanthropist Shaq

Shaquille O’Neal has made valiant efforts to help people in need apart from earning a massive $600 million worth of fortune over the years. He established The Shaq Foundation in 2019 to provide support to youth in desperate need of assistance. He even organizes various charity events to support various social causes.

The Big Diesel also founded the Shaquille O’Neal Boys and Girls Club of Henry County in 2021. It is a one-of-a-kind club that provides learning opportunities for 200 kids each day with access to computer labs, a learning center, arts and crafts rooms, a music studio, and various other facilities.?

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Thus, Shaquille O’Neal has made a great deal of progress in affecting people’s lives on a massive scale during his journey as a role model and a person.