Legendary NBA center Shaquille O’Neal is widely regarded as one of the most dominant players of all time. In his prime, O’Neal was considered a force the league had never seen before.
However, O’Neal has been open about the personal challenges he endured while navigating success and the fame that came with it. The 7-footer recently reflected on that time period while talking to his son Shareef.
Shaquille O’Neal Outlines Potential Sacrifices His Son Shareef May Endure To Play In NBA
O’Neal was filmed talking with his son as part of his Netflix documentary, “Power Moves,” where he offered him blunt advice on pursuing an NBA career.
The Hall of Famer said, “You gotta understand that in that life, you know you have to give everything up, right? … Are you ready to live that life? Cause if you want to be great, my man, you gotta sacrifice everything. I’ve lost a family trying to be great.”
“Are you ready to live that life? If you want to be great, my man, you gotta sacrifice everything. I’ve lost a family trying to be great.”@SHAQ having an honest conversation with his son Shareef O’Neal about pursuing an NBA career.
📺 Power Moves pic.twitter.com/4ceS9k2qQK
— Netflix Sports (@netflixsports) August 4, 2026
O’Neal and Shareef reflected on the grueling NBA schedule and how that caused O’Neal to miss many of his children’s milestones while they were growing up. Competing at the highest level means playing in nearly 100 games from the start of the season in the fall to reaching the NBA Finals in June.
That was nearly a regular occurrence for O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion and 15-time All-Star. The Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, and Miami Heat had several extended playoff runs with the big man leading the way. However, he appears to have some remorse regarding the impact that his career had on his family.
O’Neal had four children with his ex-wife Shaunie, including Shareef. They got married in 2002, but divorced in 2011. O’Neal took accountability, saying he made mistakes during his marriage. Perhaps he is trying to ensure that his son doesn’t make the same mistakes he did.
Shareef was a consensus top 50 high school prospect when he committed to UCLA in 2018. However, he was forced to miss his freshman season after having open heart surgery.
Shareef returned to action the following season, but eventually transferred to LSU, his father’s alma mater. Although he went undrafted in 2022, he’s spent time in the NBA G League while searching for an opportunity.
As Shareef continues working hard to pursue his NBA dream, his father’s message is a reminder that he may be forced to make significant sacrifices.
