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Being an NBA star comes with plenty of pressure. While you’re playing a children’s game for a living, doing all of your work in the public eye certainly brings its challenges. Imagine trying to do your job knowing that every single mistake you make will be blown up, plastered all over social media, and critiqued by millions of fans. Doesn’t sound easy, right?

Believe it or not, there was a time when Shaquille O’Neal felt the pressure. After a game in New York, the center even told his father that he couldn’t handle the heat.

The next morning, though, everything changed. Shaq put in some work away from the court and learned what real pressure is. Here’s a hint: It’s not playing basketball for millions of dollars.

Shaquille O’Neal complained about pressure and then received some valuable perspective from his father

When you picture him winning NBA championships and joking around on national TV, it’s easy to imagine that Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t feel any pressure. There was a time, however, when the big man was overwhelmed by the moment.

“My father one day, after a game, I went home, and I said, ‘Hey man, I couldn’t handle the pressure in New York,'” O’Neal explained on The Big Podcast with Shaq. “He was upset. Takes me in the car early the next morning, and we watch a homeless family. Family that he used to take care of. He said, ‘I don’t ever want to hear you say that you can’t handle the pressure ever again. You spoiled, m-fing brat. You got a big house, you got cars, you fly private. I don’t want to ever hear that. Pressure is when you don’t know where your next meal is coming from.'”

As you might expect, that reality check made quite the difference for the big man.

“And, after that, I stopped complaining,” he continued. “Cause I got it good. And he said, ‘Push through it. Man up. I don’t ever want to hear you say that again.’ And then he made me get out. Said, ‘Get out.’ So I had to get out. Got the family an apartment, got them on their feet, made a few phone calls, the guy, you know, had a job, just got them on their feet. But that stuck with me.”

While it’s not 100% clear when this anecdote took place — based on Shaq’s wealth, it’s safe to assume he was in the NBA at that point — it’s easy to see how the lesson influenced his perspective. Beyond his comfort in the spotlight, O’Neal has been known to flex his financial muscles to help others out. From buying rings to leaving massive tips, the Diesel performs what he calls “random acts of Shaqness.”

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Senior Writer, Programmer

Joe Kozlowski

Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sportscasting, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he’s a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie.

Growing up loving Shaquille O’Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he’s continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives.

As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He’s barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe’s big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level.

Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.