Shaquille O’Neal has had four mantras growing up. The first two mantras came into existence after a young Shaq would get beaten by his biological father every time the latter would come home. “Play basketball. Earn money,” would keep ringing in his ears after an angry Phillip would complain about Shaq “goofing around” and not taking the game seriously. Life would then take shape after the little boy would finally succeed in reaching the higher echelons of the big league. With a three-year deal worth millions of dollars as a rookie, the budding superstar would chant his new rules: “Don’t waste money. Help others.” Growing up in poverty with no one to help, the player knew the value of money. But he also knew how much he wished someone would help him when the family was struggling. So he became the man he once needed. A humanitarian at heart, the veteran never shies away from random acts of kindness for strangers. But when it comes to his own children, he’s anything but generous…

Today, the 53-year-old sits atop a massive net worth of $500 million, thanks to an iconic career, and wise investments and business ventures. However, none of his children have the moral right to call it theirs. Reason? In a 2021 podcast appearance, the 4X NBA Champion revealed a parenting lesson that many have since deemed controversial. “We ain’t rich. I’m rich,” the retired veteran reportedly told his six children. So, as expected, the children are upset. However, it’s not like O’Neal is not willing to compromise, albeit with a condition. “In order to get my cheese, you’ve got to present me with two degrees.” Meaning? A bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree, so the money can be theirs the right way.

“I tell them all the time: we don’t need another NBA player in the family. We need lawyers, we need doctors, we need people that run stuff…If you want me to invest in one of your companies, you’re gonna have to present it. Boom, boom, boom. Bring it to me. I’ll let you know.” Reasonable ask, wouldn’t you say? However, looks like Shaq’s 21-year-old son Shaqir O’Neal, doesn’t mind bending those rules sometimes. Especially when he’s ticked off. The incident we’re talking about unfolded during a matchup against Jackson State Tigers a few days back.

Before the Florida A&M Rattlers ultimately lost the game 91-76, Shaqir was reportedly face to face with some snarky comments. But he didn’t hold back either. He showed off in a way that would surely rub his father the wrong way. A recent viral Instagram clip shared an audio recording of the back-and-forth between him and spectators. However, it was the caption that made things amply clear. “One thing I love about the SWAC is the endless amount of trash-talking between the players and fans. You gotta have some tough skin to compete…especially when your dad is one of the greats of the game! As JSU started to seal the win, some fans gave Shaqir O’Neal a lil heat and he didn’t back down,” read the caption, before adding:

“Fans: “Bro you’re trash boy”
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Shaqir: “… all yall 🥷 is broke… all yall 🥷 is broke – you ain’t got no money… you ain’t got no money 🤣”

Well, looks like money talks for the Rattlers star.+ But how is his father going to react? We’ll never know. Having said that, don’t think that the young boy was talking about his family’s wealth. As an NCAA player, Shaqir has amassed a massive NIL empire of around $900k. He’s also already embarked on a unique college journey, having played for two different HBCUs. In July 2024, he made the move from Texas Southern University to Florida A&M University (FAMU), looking for more playing time and a better shot at development. During his tenure at Texas Southern, he averaged 1.4 points per game across 20 appearances in the 2022-2023 season. The switch paid off.

In the 2024-2025 season, Shaqir elevated his game, notching his first collegiate double-double on February 17, 2025, against Alcorn State. He dropped 12 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and blocked 2 shots, helping FAMU secure an 85-76 win.

This season, he’s averaging a respectable 7.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Not exactly star-level, but his efficiency stands out—knocking down 51.4 percent of his shots. Still, a solid stat line won’t stop fans from testing him. If anything, Shaqir needs more than numbers to win these battles. He needs a thick skin. However, it’s not as if this was his first experience of trash talk. In fact, he has had it from one of the best: his own father.

The time Shaqir O’Neal faced trash talk from his father Shaquille O’Neal

The popular web series Life of Shaq gave fans plenty of entertaining moments, and the fourth episode of the second season was no different. In the episode, we got a glimpse of Shaq spending time with his family, and let’s just say, the Hall of Famer couldn’t resist reminding everyone of his greatness.

One of the standout moments of the episode came when Shaq hit the court with his son Shaqir O’Neal. As they played, Big Diesel couldn’t help but boast about his legendary career, making sure his son knew exactly who he was up against.

Earlier in the episode, Shaqir had shared his reason for wanting to stay with his father in Atlanta — because who better to learn from than a four-time NBA champion? He believed Shaq’s experience could take his game to the next level.

But when father and son finally got into the game, things took a hilarious turn. Shaq, despite all his accolades, struggled to find the net, missing multiple shots. And of course, his son wasn’t going to let him live it down.

When he called him out for shooting an airball, Shaq did what he does best—fire back with some classic trash talk. “I’m a Hall of Famer, you are not. I got four rings, you ain’t got four rings, so it doesn’t matter.” Ouch! Nothing harder than the Jackson State Tigers fan could’ve dropped on Shaqir than what Shaq did. No wonder the 21-year-old was unfazed by the fan trash talk.