Shaquille O’Neal desires to ensure that others learn from his past mistakes.
The NBA legend recently shared a few of his wisdom with NFL star Jason Kelce on the subject of retirement in an effort to ensure that he doesn’t make the identical “dumb—” mistakes O’Neal did.
Shaquille O’Neal Talked Retirement With Jason Kelce On His A Recent Podcast Episode
During a recent episode of “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” O’Neal and Kelce talked retirement and the sentiments that associate with it. While Kelce hasn’t made a choice on whether or not he’ll retire now or proceed playing football just a little longer, many conversations revolve around possible retirement.
O’Neal, 51, explained why he decided to start out DJ’ing after retiring from the NBA after Kelce discussed having a variety of opportunities waiting for him after retiring. He explained that the adrenaline rush he gets from DJ’ing is harking back to his days on the court as an NBA star.
He then shared some seasoned advice for the 36-year-old Philadelphia Eagles center.
“My advice to you is that if you happen to are going to retire, accept it,” O’Neal told Kelce. “Enjoy your loved ones, brother. I made a variety of dumb— mistakes to where I lost my family, and I didn’t have anybody. That’s not the case for you. So, enjoy your beautiful wife, enjoy your beautiful kids and never dwell on what we had.”
O’Neal continued to share just a little of his backstory.
“What we had is what we got. You bought the ring. People know who you’re. Enjoy,” he said. “Because again, I used to be an idiot. And I’ve talked about it a protracted time. Lost my whole family. I’m in a 100,000-square-foot house by myself.”
Many fans took to the comment section of a clip of the podcast on Instagram to speak about how “real” O’Neal is for his advice and admitting where he’s gone mistaken.
“Shaq is so awesome! The best way this guy is listening to him……❤,” one person wrote. One other added, “Sometimes mistakes and maturing wises us up ❤️🙏🏻.”
One other viewer shared, “You might be an incredible man, all of us make mistakes however it’s what we learn. You might be a teacher to others together with your words and soul. And I don’t even like basketball but you I do like. ❤”
Shaquille O’Neal Opened Up About His Past Mistakes In His Book
The NBA champion shared his life story in his 2011 book, “Shaq Uncut: My Story.” He admitted to not being the “best partner” and revealed that he’s “learning now.”
O’Neal is father to 6 children, sons Shareef and Shaquir and daughters Amirah and Me’arah with ex-wife Shaunie O’Neal, daughter Taahirah with former girlfriend Arnetta Yardbourgh, and stepson Myles from Shaunie’s previous relationship. O’Neal and Shaunie were married for seven years, splitting in 2009.
“At one time, my ex-wife Shaunie and I were glad, but I admit it – I used to be a man. I used to be a man with too many options,” he wrote in his book. “Selecting to be with a few of those women, well, that’s on me. In my mind, I never did it disrespectfully, but obviously I shouldn’t have done it in any respect.”
He also revealed that he wasn’t “the perfect partner.”
“It wasn’t the large stuff, it was the small stuff, and that’s my fault,” he wrote. “I had things to do. I used to be attempting to win, attempting to make some money. I admit I wasn’t the perfect partner. I just didn’t know the way. I’m learning now.”
Shaunie Henderson’s Tell-All Memoir Will Be Released In May
O’Neal’s ex-wife, Shaunie Henderson, is about to release her tell-all memoir and O’Neal isn’t frightened one bit about what’s in it. He even supports her recent book by sharing details about it on his social media.
“uh oh naaa im just playing congrats @iamshaunie. pre sale link info in @iamshaunie bio,” he captioned a photograph of her book cover on Instagram.
Henderson told PEOPLE that O’Neal has no idea what’s within the book about him yet.
“[Shaquille] has not read it. I haven’t shared it with anybody but my husband and my publicist at this point,” she told PEOPLE. “Anybody that’s in it, I feel they need to know what’s in it before everybody else does.”
Henderson also said she’s not “throwing him under the bus” within the chapters that reflect their journey together. She said that O’Neal’s public confessions about what ended their marriage made it barely easier for her to talk her truth because “he told on himself.”
“Anything involving Shaquille is all the time a sketchy thing because he’s who he’s, and despite what our story is, nobody ever wants to listen to what could come across as not the best popularity,” she continued.
“I’m literally telling my story and my journey, which he was an element of. So I’ve all the time been just a little nervous about that, but I feel I did a very good job at sharing my story without destroying him because that’s not my intent in any respect, ever.”
