Shaquille O’Neal tends to reveal a new anecdote in each interview. These stories not focus on morality but also help in humanizing the Lakers legend. The four-time NBA Champion’s HBO documentary is hours away from screening all around the world. Amidst this buzz, O’Neal, in an interview, spoke about an incident in his childhood that changed him completely.

Recently, O’Neal opened up to People’s magazine about his childhood, mistakes, regrets, and more. He bared his soul to the public right before they could watch his documentary. O’Neal’s feature was titled ‘my untold story’ and ‘you don’t know Shaq!’

O’Neal had a lot of insecurities while growing up. To deal with these insecurities and fit into his peer group, O’Neal turned to the ways of being a bully. However, in 5th grade, he dealt with a situation that changed his life.

Shaquille O’Neal on his tough childhood

O’Neal’s stepfather was a sergeant in the army. This meant that the family was constantly on the move. Shifting to a new place every few years would mean adjusting to new environments. For O’Neal, his securities added to the difficulty of familiarising himself with a new place. Most often than not, O’Neal was called out for being bigger than the other kids.

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Additionally, his peers made fun of his name. They also mocked his occasional habit of shuttering. Further, O’Neal was intimidated by those who excelled academically. While these insecurities consumed him, constantly moving around didn’t help O’Neal.

In the interview, O’Neal spoke about being a bully. He stated that every time his family shifted to a new place, he aimed to make name for himself quickly. He said, “I’d find out who ‘the guy’ was, study him, and I’d beat him up. Take his spot.” However, this habit of O’Neal’s didn’t last long. 

O’Neal claimed that in a fight at school, he “almost killed a kid.” He said, “They showed me the jail.” For O’Neal, this incident was life-changing. He realized that he was heading down the wrong path. O’Neal also claimed that he was simply not a leader yet.

O’Neal changed his ways. With the hope to fit in and deal with a load of insecurities, O’Neal focused on “becoming the class clown.” O’Neal just wanted people to like him.

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