Shaquille O’Neal has talked about how being disciplined by his late father Philip A. Harrison has impacted his life on several occasions. The Los Angeles Lakers legend claimed in his recent four-part HBO documentary that his father’s methods helped him achieve incredible things in life. Recently, Shaq admitted in an interview that he escaped death at the age of 13 because his father did not allow him to drink alcohol.

In a recent interview with Esquire, Shaquille O’Neal gave an insight into the various aspects of his glorious journey through life. He talked about his on-court domination, his shaky relationship with Kobe Bryant, his business successes, and his artistic ventures. Moreover, the four-time NBA champ shared a story about the time when he almost lost his life. However, his friends couldn’t make it.

Father’s fear saved Shaquille O’Neal from losing his life

During the interview, Shaq was asked if he had a changed opinion on the beatings from his father while growing up. And that if he considered his father’s treatment to be abuse. Shaquille O’Neal reckoned that he did not like to use the ‘a-word’. However, he clarified that his dad’s methods definitely came under the laws of today.

But Shaq pointed out that his father’s harsh approach was necessary because it kept him in the right path and taught him to be a leader. Further, Shaq revealed that his father’s disciplined approach once saved his life. The 15-time All-Star shared that his friends were drinking during a party at a base in West Germany.

A 13-year-old O’Neal’s friends urged him to  drink and ride with them during a snowstorm. However, Shaq refused to go because he was afraid his dad would find out and beat him up for it. Unfortunately, all his friends passed away that day after their car ran into a pole.

Shaquille O’Neal continued, “So what the spankings did for me is just help me become a thinker. And help me become a thinker. And after that day, after my friends died, I was like, you know what? Never again.”

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Shaq said that he decided never to drink alcohol after the tragic incident involving his friends. He credited his father’s tough antics for saving his life that day.

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In addition, Shaq claimed that the disciplining from his father also helped him succeed as a leader and develop critical thinking skills.