The Los Angeles Lakers legend and Hall of Famer Shaquille O’ Neal was raised by his mother, Lucille O’Neal, who had him at the young age of 17. Lucille O’Neal, across her books, talks about the challenges of raising the 4x NBA champion as a single parent before marrying another man. She went through many personal challenges of her own, but she made sure to support Shaq, as she knew he was special. Fast forward a few decades, and her son Shaquille O’Neal was one of the greatest players the game had ever seen. After her divorce in her 40s, Shaq helped to make her dreams a reality.

Shaquille O’Neal?is one of the most influential basketball players of all time. His game on the court made him rise through the ranks in the league and made him a legend of the game. His success in the NBA was remarkable; he leveraged his play on the court and made generational wealth for himself and his family.

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Shaq’s ventures outside the NBA have also been very successful, making him a fortune along the way. He is estimated to have a net worth of over $400 Million.

Shaquille O’Neal’s relationship with his mother, Lucille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal was born on March 6th, 1972, in Newark, New Jersey, to Lucille O’Neal and Joe Tony. Joe wouldn’t stick around for long as he suffered from drug addiction and would soon get imprisoned. Thus Lucille had to raise young Shaq all on her own. Lucille was only 17 when she had Shaq. Being a single parent at such a young age was very challenging for her. “Shaquille and I grew up together. I learned about sacrificing what I wanted so my son could get what he needed.”

Lucille O’Neal was on welfare, but she would take up multiple jobs to support herself and Shaq financially. She wanted to take responsibility for her child and didn’t want to depend on others for support. Lucille admitted that many things could have gone wrong, but things worked out in the end. She had to sacrifice a lot to ensure Shaq would get the upbringing he deserved. She succeeded in doing just that; Shaq would grow up to become a healthy 7’1” giant who would dominate the NBA.

Lucille always dreamed of writing books, becoming a motivational speaker, and continuing her education. After her divorce, she could not pursue her dreams independently. But her son, Dr. Shaquille O’Neal, would help her out. The Big diesel paid for her college education and connected her with people who could help her write and publish books. “But during my 40s, Shaq paid for my college education and put me in touch with people who could help me write my book.”

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Lucille O’Neal had to fight some demons of her own. She had become a victim of alcoholism and had to battle it for decades. “I wasn’t a bad mother, but I had demons.”

A strong mother indeed. Shaq is no doubt grateful to have a mother like Lucille, and showed his appreciation with a kind gesture.