[130] He rejected an offer to play in the 2004 Olympics,[131] and although he was initially interested in being named for 2006–2008 US preliminary roster,[132] he eventually declined the invitation.[133]. In January 2002, he was involved in a spectacular on-court brawl in a game against the Chicago Bulls. [8], In addition to his basketball career, O'Neal has released four rap albums, with his first, Shaq Diesel, going platinum. 32 jersey during the 2016–17 season, making O'Neal one of just 32 athletes in American professional sports history to have their jersey retired by multiple teams. [246], In June 2015, O'Neal invested in technology startup Loyale3 Holdings Inc., a San Francisco brokerage firm whose website and mobile app enables companies to sell a piece of their IPOs directly to small investors who put up as a little as $100 and also allows investors to regularly buy small amounts of shares in already public companies. [40][41] The Lakers won 56 games during the 1996–97 season. "I wish he'd stand up and play me like a man instead of flopping and crying every time I back him down. O'Neal has made numerous appearances in television commercials, including several Pepsi commercials, such as one from 1995 which parodied shows like I Love Lucy (the "Job Switching" episode), Bonanza, and Woody Woodpecker; various 1990s Reebok commercials; Nestlé Crunch commercials; Gold Bond products; The General insurance commercials; and IcyHot commercials. degree in general studies,[170] with a minor in political science. The Lakers finished with a 31–19 record during the lockout-shortened season. Let's stand up and play like men, and I think our guy did that tonight. Although O'Neal averaged career lows (or near-lows) in points, rebounds, and blocks, he said in an interview "Stats don't matter. Comments (23) Display Comments. For other people called Shaquille, see, "Shaq" redirects here. [128] He forwent an opportunity to participate in the 2000 Olympics, explaining that two gold medals were enough. Riley felt doing so would allow O'Neal to be healthier and fresher come playoff time. [257][258] Shareef, later rated as a top-30 prospect in the recruiting class of 2018, had committed to play college basketball at the University of Arizona, but rescinded the commitment in February 2018 after Arizona head coach Sean Miller was linked to potential major violations of NCAA recruiting rules. Choi replied to an email asking him if he would like to fight O'Neal saying "Yes, if there is a chance." [137], O'Neal's primary weakness was his free throw shooting, with a career average of 52.7%. O'Neal had been made an "honorary deputy" by the local sheriff's department. 34 jersey on April 2, 2013.[144]. However, O'Neal's feelings toward Toney mellowed in the years following Harrison's death in 2013, and the two met for the first time in March 2016, with O'Neal telling him, "I don't hate you. "It's not really my role anymore." O'Neal reportedly wanted a role in the film X2 (the second in the X-Men film series), but was ignored by the filmmakers. [149] Although he was a favorite interviewee of the press, O'Neal was sensitive and often went weeks without speaking. "[68] Many critics stated that Heat coach Riley correctly managed O'Neal during the rest of the season, limiting his minutes to a career low. O'Neal was featured alongside Michael Jackson as a guest rapper on "2 Bad", a song from Jackson's 1995 album HIStory. Supporters applauded O'Neal's willingness to take what amounted to a pay cut and the Heat's decision to secure O'Neal's services for the long term. Jackson's influence resulted in a newfound commitment by O'Neal to defense, resulting in his first All-Defensive Team selection (second-team) in 2000. I had trouble with it when I was little. In addition, he became the spokesperson for the company as part of the three-year contract. He hosts The Big Podcast with Shaq. They won three consecutive championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. O'Neal was not qualified as a SWAT officer. He hosted the show Upload with Shaquille O'Neal which aired on TruTV for one season. No issue at all.