“I almost got eaten by a shark,” said Shaquille O’Neal in a podcast last year. The LA Lakers icon has made a name for himself far beyond basketball. Whether it’s wrestling in the WWE ring, starring in quirky commercials, or entertaining audiences on TNT’s Inside the NBA, Shaq’s larger-than-life personality seems to find him in the most unexpected places. But who would have thought that a simple show-related revelation would spark a comedic conversation about jealousy and missed opportunities?

In a recent interview with Clutch Points, the oldest of the ‘O’Neal universe‘ Shareef O’Neal was asked what was his father’s biggest phobia. “I’m trying to think of a phobia, but I’m not gonna lie I don’t know what he’s scared of,” said Shareef while being clueless. But when it was revealed that his father’s biggest phobia is sharks and that’s the reason why he went to the TNT’s sister channel Discovery Channel’s show Shark Week, the 24-year-old had only one answer in mind.

“I never knew he was scared of sharks. Shark week? I never knew that. I’m not gonna lie a lot of black people are scared of the ocean but I’m one of them… I’m lowkey jealous of that. I’ve always wanted to do Shark Week…one day,” added Shareef during the interview.

It all started with a phobia. Shaq, who is a self-admitted aquaphobe, has a deep fear of sharks. But that didn’t stop him from stepping into their domain and face them back in 2018 during Shark Week’s 30th-anniversary season. In an episode aptly titled ‘Shaq Does Shark Week’, the basketball legend teamed up with marine biologists to explore the mysterious world of sharks. His journey began with a humorous twist: a custom-built ‘Shaq Cage’ that was hilariously oversized to accommodate his 7’1″ frame.

“First of all, a program of therapy always requires an assessment phase where you have to find out what a person’s background is and you ask them to explain their fear. What I need to understand is how this person’s life has mutated over time because of that fear,” said Mark Powers, a professor of psychology, on how Shark Week would have helped Shaq to tackle his phobia (as per Inverse).

But the episode wasn’t all fright and flight. Initially, Shaq refused to swim near the sharks but just to get habituated, he was first put in an aquarium filled with ambivalent reef sharks. Once Big Diesel gained confidence, he was then taken to the open sea to interact with the Sharks while in the cage as mentioned before. But given the seven-footer’s personality, he took the challenge one step further and dove out of the cage to swim with the sharks freely.

“I’m nervous about being eaten by a shark. I’m not going to lie to you. Because I’m not a strong swimmer and I’ve always suspected that I would be delicious,” said Shaq before taking up the challenge. (as per Inverse)

Shaquille O’Neal’s ventures beyond the hardwood are a testament to his adventurous spirit and for Shareef, the episode serves as a reminder that his dad is more than just an NBA legend—he’s a fearless entertainer who thrives in the unlikeliest of situations. However, while the young basketball player admitted to being jealous of his father, there was one time when Shaq had the same notion regarding his son.

Shaquille O’Neal reveals his jealousy of Shareef’s one quality

Shareef showed promise on the basketball court from a young age. Known for his impressive athleticism and smooth shooting, Shareef was already making waves in youth basketball by the time he turned eight. However, during a podcast episode, Shaq candidly revealed he felt a hint of jealousy toward his young son.

While Shareef’s early basketball journey was supported by resources and opportunities shaped by Shaq’s success, the legend’s own childhood was far less privileged.

“My son Shareef is an athlete. I’m very jealous of him. He was doing things on the basketball court at the age of eight that I couldn’t do until I was sixteen years old. I was his coach last summer and we were undefeated. He’s very very funny and very sensitive. Sound like anyone you know?” said Shaq in an episode of Shaq Uncut.

However, even though the young power forward had all the facilities, he wasn’t able to utilize them much. After a promising high school career, he was diagnosed with a heart condition during his time at USLA that affected his gameplay leading to him only averaging 2.6 PPG along with 3 RPG and 0.1 APG.

But after years of struggle, Shareef has now got the chance to play in the G-League team Stockton Kings as part of an Exhibit-10 deal with the Sacramento Kings. In the end, it can be speculated that Shareef will develop his skills and hence prove he is an elite player like his father.