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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 24: Former Los Angeles Lakers great Shaquille O’Neal (R) gets a kiss from his mother Lucille as they attend the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers game after his statue was unveiled earlier in the night at Staples Center March 24, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 24: Former Los Angeles Lakers great Shaquille O’Neal (R) gets a kiss from his mother Lucille as they attend the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers game after his statue was unveiled earlier in the night at Staples Center March 24, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Shaquille O’Neal is an extremely successful businessman, post his NBA career, with a net worth of $400 million. But the big man has not always had everything going for him in life. While growing up, Shaquille O’Neal’s family did not have a lot of money. It was his dad who always kept him on the straight and narrow path.
To this day, he still follows what he learned from his father. As a parent himself, he recently had to tell his daughter to correct something that she did for him out of love.
Shaquille O’Neal still follows his dad’s teachings
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In a recent interview with Rex Chapman, Shaquille O’Neal talked about how he still follows his routine from when he was growing up. Shaq’s dad, Phillip Harrison, was a drill sergeant, and he was an extremely influential figure in Shaq’s life.
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MAY 11: Shaquille O’Neal attends as The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation & Icy Hot unveil the latest “Comebaq Court” at Shaq’s Boys & Girls Club on May 11, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for Icy hot)
During his interview, Shaq said that he recently made his daughter make him a sandwich. His daughter put three slices of turkey in the sandwich, but the Los Angeles Lakers legend was quick to make her change it.
Shaq said, “If you don’t take the goddam turkey off… when I grew up, it was one slice of turkey and one slice of cheese, and that’s it,” to much incredulous laughter from the hosts.
Being frugal in life was something his father had taught him. Though his daughter told him that it’s okay to have three slices, Shaq still put in just one slice as a way to keep alive his father’s teachings.
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Shaq does not want to disappoint his mother
He then talked about how he stays out of trouble. Shaq said, “I try to discipline myself at all times.” He elaborated that when he is about to do something “crazy“, he immediately thinks of his mom. He knows what will make her upset, and he does not want that to happen, so he won’t do it.
Shaq admits he spends a lot of money, but he is doing well for himself, so he is fine with it. He has surrounded himself with good people, listened to them, understood the business, and made the right moves. That is the reason he amassed $400 million.
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What do you think of Shaq still following his father’s strict teachings? Let us know in the comments!