In Islam, the name Shaquille Rashaund means little warrior. The irony is, there is nothing small about the 7'2", 310 pound Los Angeles Laker Shaquille Rashaund O'Neil.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, O'Neal was destined to be a basketball star. By the age of 13, he was an astonishing 6'6" and already the talk of the town. This legend in the making entered the NBA draft after his junior season at Louisiana State University and was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic. The accolades that O'Neal received during his first year in the NBA surpassed that which any rookie had previously received. So it was no surprise that O'Neal would be named Rookie of the Year in 1993.
In 1994, O'Neal took his talent off the court and into the studio. He released his first of four albums titled "Shaq Diesel," which instantly went platinum. Also that year, Shaq made his feature debut in the basketball drama "Blue Chips" (1994) which starred Nick Nolte as a coach who is forced to break the rules in order to keep his players content and competitive. In 1996, O'Neal was traded from Orlando to Los Angeles, signing a lucrative contract with the Lakers. The move proved advantages to his budding acting career as well -- the same year he received his first starring role and producer credit for the family comedy "Kazaam" (1996). The following year, O'Neal starred as an action hero in "Steel" (1997) and received his second credit as an executive producer.
O'Neal continued to expand his acting resume by making appearances on both the big screen as well as television. He also handled business back on the court leading the Los Angeles to three championship titles, seeking the fourth in 2003.
- Also Credited As:
Big Shaq, Shaq
- Born:
March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey, USA
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Job Titles:
Actor, Lyricist, Professional athlete
Family
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Brother: Jamal. father Philip Harrison
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Daughter: Amirah. born c. 2001; mother Shaunie
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Daughter: Taahirah. born on July 19, 1996; mother Arnetta
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Father: Joseph Tooney. abandoned family when Shaq was 6 months old; claimed to have had a drug problem.
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Mother: Lucille O Neal.
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Sister: Ayesha. father Philip Harrison
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Sister: Lateefah. father Philip Harrison
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Son: Shaquir Rashaun. born April 19, 2003; mother Shaunie
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Son: Shareef. born c. 2000; mother Shaunie
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Step-father: Sgt Philip Harrison.
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Step-son: Myles. born c. 1997; mother Shaunie
Significant Others
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Shaunie: . rumored to be married to Shaq although never acknowledged marriage publicly; married on December 26, 2002 in Beverly Hills, California
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Wife: .
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Companion: Arnetta. mother of daughter Taahira
Education
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Cole High School, San Antonio, Texas
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Louisiana State University, Louisiana, B.A. General Studies, minor in Political Science, graduated in December 2000
Milestones
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1991 Named the first All American Player
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1992 Was taken first overall in the NBA draft by the Orlando Magic
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1993 Named Rookie Of The Year
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1994 Made his feature film debut in Blue Chips
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1996 Became a free agent and joined the Los Angeles Lakers
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1996 First starring role in the feature film Kazaam
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1996 Obtained a gold medal at the Atlanta Olympic games
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1996 Signed with Crystall Beach Entertainment to executive produced a pilot for Fox Broadcasting
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1997 Starred in the action feature film Steel
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1998 Signed with A & R Records
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2000 First unanimous Most Valuable Player in NBA history
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2001 Cast in the feature comedy The Wash
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Became the first rookie to win Player Of The Week honors
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Obtained a basketball scholarship for Louisiana State University
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Was an astonishing 6 6 by the age of 13
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Won NBA titles with the Lakers; named MVP of the NBA Finals each year