“He’s getting a divorce”: Shaquille O’Neal’s Dirty Laundry Was Washed in Public by a Trusted Friend During Miami Heat Turmoil in 2006

Shaquille O’Neal had an impressive career playing for legendary teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, the Orlando Magic, and the Miami Heat. Even though Shaq led the Heat to their first Championship in 2006, he encountered the beginning of his career’s closure in the camp. Shaq is arguably one of the most dominant players in NBA history, but the legend dealt with a lot of injuries during his stint with the Heat. Additionally, the Hall of Famer also dealt with his divorce during the same time. Meanwhile, Shaq felt betrayed by a certain trusted friend during the pivotal moment in his career.

The Big Diesel shared a good camaraderie with Miami’s legendary coach Pat Riley during his time at the Heat’s camp. However, the friendship didn’t last long between them as they ended up having a fallout after an ugly incident. Shaq wrote elaborately about Riley in his autobiography ‘Shaq Uncut’. In one of the chapters, the big man discussed the NBA Champion coach’s betrayal in 2006.

Shaquille O’Neal opened up about the 2006 turmoil in his book

Shaquille O’Neal and Pat Riley always had concerns over the growing injury worries for the big man. However, Shaq couldn’t overcome an injury at the time despite undergoing rehabilitation. Meanwhile, coach Riley went on to spread a different story about Shaq’s unavailability for the games. As Shaq admitted in his book, “I had this injury that we couldn’t figure out and Pat started telling people that he’s faking it, he’s getting a divorce, we’ve got a bad record, so he doesn’t feel like playing anymore.”

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Notably, Shaq and his then-wife Shuanie O’Neal had their relationship deteriorating and eventually ended up getting a divorce in 2008. Moreover, it affected Shaq when he realized his friend had betrayed him by circulating a false narrative about his injury. Shaq continued in his book, “The general manager there, Steve Kerr, told me Riley said I was “faking” the injury. I heard it other places, too. I’m not going to lie. It stung me.”

The Big man further mentioned that he felt that Riley could have spoken openly about his concerns to him instead of lying behind his back. He continued, “I’m not trying to embarrass the guy, but I don’t like it when people lie about me. Don’t tell your owner I’m faking after all I’ve done for your city, for your team, for you.” However, Shaq’s stint with the Heat ended with an ugly altercation with Pat Riley in 2007. Eventually, his career spiraled down to the curtains in 2011.

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What do you make of Shaq’s stint at the Miami Heat camp? Let us know in the comments.