Shaq was a likeable abusive coworker

[ImmortalD24]

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Yet people give him a pass because a myriad of reason ie: he’s likeable by the gen pop, dominant player who was face of the league, Incredibly intimidating at his size, coaches who had more power at the time enabled him etc.. if he was in his prime today I do believe he’d run into some trouble with his antics imho.

[ropjhk]

As great as he was Shaq could have been so much more with the right attitude. He admits that he didn’t always take things seriously and the contrast between he and Kobe are well documented. He could give you that effort under the right circumstances but it wasn’t always there.

Shaq with a Mamba mentality could have been the GOAT.

[NZB2323]

I think we all know this.

He has some good in him also, from his charity work, random acts of kindness, and friendships.

But the truth is he was an immature teammate many times in his career, and the culture at the time enabled it. If a NBA star tried to pull that today, they would be put on blast on social media.

[ImmortalD24]

I think we all know this.

He has some good in him also, from his charity work, random acts of kindness, and friendships.

But the truth is he was an immature teammate many times in his career, and the culture at the time enabled it. If a NBA star tried to pull that today, they would be put on blast on social media.

Agreed. But man his infatuation with fecal matter needs to be studied. Throwing a bucket of a weeks full of fecal matter on anyone let alone his own teammates head is crazy work. And it’s not like he’s a child - he was 30+ doing these things and he came from a military working class two parent household. Shaq often spoke about his step father being very strict - teaching him discipline and responsibility etc btw.

[Lalouie]

he acts like a big person. ie, everyone is small to him

[Ridicululz]

These Shaq "prank" stories are so gross. Wonder if he tried to pull this **** on Inside

[D.Brasco]

he acts like a big person. ie, everyone is small to him

Tacko should have put him in his place.

[Mr Puddles]

Shaq comes across as the type of person who will constantly bully/prank others and then become super emotional when someone turns the table on him and pulls the same type of pranks on him.

We all know the type of guys "hey I'm just busting balls", and then gets pissed off at even the slightest insult hurled at him.

His reactions to Barkley messing with him on Inside shows me all I need to know about his own ability to 'take a joke'

[NZB2323]

I think we all know this.

He has some good in him also, from his charity work, random acts of kindness, and friendships.

But the truth is he was an immature teammate many times in his career, and the culture at the time enabled it. If a NBA star tried to pull that today, they would be put on blast on social media.

Agreed. But man his infatuation with fecal matter needs to be studied. Throwing a bucket of a weeks full of fecal matter on anyone let alone his own teammates head is crazy work. And it’s not like he’s a child - he was 30+ doing these things and he came from a military working class two parent household. Shaq often spoke about his step father being very strict - teaching him discipline and responsibility etc btw.

They say preacher’s kids are the most misbehaved.

He was the star and got paid millions, got fame, championships, and awards so he was never really “punished” for acting out this way so it continued.

[LakersLegacy]

Shaq doesn’t get along with many because he goes against Jesus. That was really the issue with him and Bryant whom grew up going to Catholic School. Shaq has gone on the air saying Jesus never said the quotes of the Bible.

And after someone defends their view with Shaq, he will target their toothbrush, or remove a teammates clothes and have them run behind a vehicle naked for a mile, or assault them.

[Black Jack]

"hey Kobe, tell me how..."

[ImmortalD24]

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[oversteerdawg]

Shaq is a bully, but not necessarily a malicious bully. His intent wasn't to make someone miserable, but rather to be perceived as funnny. A lot of big guys compensate trying to be extra nice or funny. The problem is he never considered how it would feel being on the receiving end. Either way, unacceptable, but a possible explanation to the the dichotomy of his actions.

[Sane]

Shaq doesn’t get along with many because he goes against Jesus. That was really the issue with him and Bryant whom grew up going to Catholic School. Shaq has gone on the air saying Jesus never said the quotes of the Bible.

And after someone defends their view with Shaq, he will target their toothbrush, or remove a teammates clothes and have them run behind a vehicle naked for a mile, or assault them.

Is this a joke? Kobe raped a girl while he was married (with child) then he paid that woman to stay quiet.

Shaq is the way he is because before the age of 12 when your nervous system is being primed for emotional intelligence, his 3 parents were either toxic, absent or abusive. His biological parents were never around. His stepdad was just a bitter old man who’d lazily blame Shaq for everything/anything whether it was in Shaq’s control to fix it or not. When Shaq is being a bully he is practically an avatar of his stepdad - and Shaq is not pleasant when he’s bullying people I’m sure you’ve noticed.

The fact that this man succeeded at everything in life except at getting rid of his habit of seeking camaraderie through pranks > you don’t know Jesus if you think that’s some kind of evil person.

[Rdude22]

^^some of you fools just have to take things too far

But alleged antisemitism, sexual assault accusations (and all other attempts to regurgitate dumb stan war ish) aside, Shaq has always come across as a very extreme personality. A bit too playful, a bit too sensitive/insecure/attention seeking... and we see how that manifested in his antics both as a player and analyst. At the same time, we also see it manifest in how very giving he was to his teammates and charities.

It's an interesting case bc a lot of all time greats have extreme personalities that typically/arguably lend itself to them fine-tuning if not perfecting their craft. Whereas you could tell Shaq loved the attention of being #1 but didn't love the daily grind of perfecting the craft that got you there.

[ImmortalD24]

Interesting points. I noticed the most shock value is coming from a so called Rockets fan who was completely absent on this forum from mid 2008 to mid 2013. I'm assuming that's a 5 year bid - I could be wrong. Projection is a huge red flag IMHO.

[FuShengTHEGreat]

Shaq knew who to and not to try. Just like the difference skillwise with him imposing his will on the likes of aging Mutombo/Smits compared prime Olajuwon and Duncan where he got outplayed and lost in lopsided fashion.

When someone like Dudley, Vlade or Sabonis wrapped him up or hit him with a hard foul he'd immediately go to escalate things or swing a elbow. Or the likes of smaller Alvin Robertson and Barkley

When it was Oakley or Karl Malone that could almost match his physicality hitting him with a hard foul he was a LOT more measured and turned in the other direction.

Go look at the Brad Miller altercation, Oakley was actually the one that clubbed him upside the head from behind, and instead he goes straight for Miller.

[Luke]

Shaq doesn’t get along with many because he goes against Jesus. That was really the issue with him and Bryant whom grew up going to Catholic School. Shaq has gone on the air saying Jesus never said the quotes of the Bible.

And after someone defends their view with Shaq, he will target their toothbrush, or remove a teammates clothes and have them run behind a vehicle naked for a mile, or assault them.

Is this a joke? Kobe raped a girl while he was married (with child) then he paid that woman to stay quiet.

Shaq is the way he is because before the age of 12 when your nervous system is being primed for emotional intelligence, his 3 parents were either toxic, absent or abusive. His biological parents were never around. His stepdad was just a bitter old man who’d lazily blame Shaq for everything/anything whether it was in Shaq’s control to fix it or not. When Shaq is being a bully he is practically an avatar of his stepdad - and Shaq is not pleasant when he’s bullying people I’m sure you’ve noticed.

The fact that this man succeeded at everything in life except at getting rid of his habit of seeking camaraderie through pranks > you don’t know Jesus if you think that’s some kind of evil person.

Kobe was never found guilty of rape, or he would have been in prison for life.
The case was dismissed in 2004.
He paid an amount of money out of the CIVIL LAWSUIT in 2005 because his wife didn't want to talk about personal things in public, and Kobe made his wife happy.

[druggas]

He should have been called, "The Big Phony."

[og15]

Shaq doesn’t get along with many because he goes against Jesus. That was really the issue with him and Bryant whom grew up going to Catholic School. Shaq has gone on the air saying Jesus never said the quotes of the Bible.

And after someone defends their view with Shaq, he will target their toothbrush, or remove a teammates clothes and have them run behind a vehicle naked for a mile, or assault them.

Is this a joke? Kobe raped a girl while he was married (with child) then he paid that woman to stay quiet.

Shaq is the way he is because before the age of 12 when your nervous system is being primed for emotional intelligence, his 3 parents were either toxic, absent or abusive. His biological parents were never around. His stepdad was just a bitter old man who’d lazily blame Shaq for everything/anything whether it was in Shaq’s control to fix it or not. When Shaq is being a bully he is practically an avatar of his stepdad - and Shaq is not pleasant when he’s bullying people I’m sure you’ve noticed.

The fact that this man succeeded at everything in life except at getting rid of his habit of seeking camaraderie through pranks > you don’t know Jesus if you think that’s some kind of evil person.

What Shaq and many adults need and don't realize or accept is some professional means of dealing with childhood trauma.

Functioning adults don't get a pass or excuse, especially with massive resources for not getting the support they need and cultivating better tools for relationship and engagement. We can understand the why, great, but do something about it.