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?The Wives Hated Me?: Shaquille O?Neal, Who Was ?In the Papers? With Ex-Spouse, Admits Strict Rule He Imposed on Miami Heat Teammates

ByRanjitha Ramesh

Jun 8, 2023 | 10:50 AM EDT

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Shaquille O’Neal played with the Miami Heat from the 2004?2005 season until the 2007?2008 season. Shaq was a powerful rebounder and scorer in the low post owing to his stature and strength. While on the team, he paired up with Dwyane Wade and this duo led the Heat to win their first NBA title in 2006. Shaq’s teammates benefited from his leadership, wisdom and championship heritage. His shot-blocking skills and rim protection also added an extra layer of defense for the Heat.

Now as the Heat are once again in the finals this season, Shaq recounted a strict rule that he had in place for his teammates.

Shaquille O’Neal was stringent with his teammates

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In a recent episode of Shaquille O’Neal’s podcast, the crew comprising Shaquille O’Neal, Spice McAdams and Nischelle Turner talked about the NBA finals. The crew was also joined by Gary Payton, who provided insight into the ‘Heat Culture’. Gary Payton talked about how the Miami Heat defeated the odds. While many expected the Denver Nuggets to sweep the Heat, the Heat was able to win game 2. He believes if the Heat keep playing steadily, the NBA Finals will require a game 6.

Meanwhile, Shaquille O’Neal revealed a strict rule that he had imposed on his teammates while he played in the Heat.

Shaquille O’Neal recounted how everybody wanted to watch the game during the time he played for the Heat. Mothers, fathers, wives and nannies all demand to be present during the games. And as the list of attendees increases, so does the size of the suite required for accommodation. The focus shifts from the games to taking care of the family and making arrangements for them. Bringing families to games distracts the players from the focus of winning. Or, at least, that’s what Shaq believed.

Shaq said, “I was the bad guy in an organization because I always said the wives not coming to the finals. And the wives hated me. You’re not coming because you know like I need everybody focused.? If you’re not focused, it all comes back on me. Then after the first or second I kind of eased up.? I said okay y’all can come but let’s get two games out the way first.”

However, Shaquille O’Neal wasn’t always this stringent. He once let loose with his own wife on one of his birthdays with a Scarface-themed party!

Shaquille O’Neal once had a Scarface-themed party

Shaquille O’Neal celebrated his 34th birthday in nigh-opulence at a private estate situated in Florida. The lavish celebration had an alluring ‘Scarface’ theme that transformed every room into an extraordinary set evocative of the classic film. The immersive experience allowed guests to enter the world of the movie’s protagonists.

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In his book, Shaq Uncut, which was published in 2011, Shaq wrote about this party in detail. He wrote, “For one of my birthdays, we had a Scarface party. Everyone had to come dressed in white mafia suits. We rented the house in Miami where the movie was shot,?and we passed out cigars. Every week, my wife Shaunie and I were in the papers. It didn?t take long for me to take over the city. Zo called me ‘the Largest Human Wonder of the World.'”

Watch This Story: Charles Barkley dismantles Shaquille O?Neal on live television.

Shaquille O’Neal, a fan of Scarface, made sure to plan an outstanding birthday celebration. The basketball legend was serenaded by renowned musician Julio Iglesias Jr. with a rendition of Happy Birthday created for the special and exclusive moment. Undoubtedly, a major event like that cost a lot of money. The extravagant event’s final tab? Exceeding $300,000. And then he won’t even let his teammates’ wives come to watch them play.

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What do you think about Shaq’s strict professionalism? Let us know in the comments!