NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille ONeal, widely known as Shaq, revealed that why he didnt consider himself a celebrity. He said, “You know why I had to denounce myself from being a celebrity about six, seven years ago Celebrities are a******. They just are. I never want to be in that category.” In an interview, the basketball legend, who has had a successful career both on and off the court, expressed his aversion to the arrogance he perceives in many celebrities. He said, A lot of these people, when they come to a certain status, it automatically gives them the right to think theyre smarter than you, theyre better than you, theyre bigger than you, and I never wanted to be like that.Why Shaq refrains from showoffsShaq has been a prominent figure, one of the greatest players of basketball, TNT analyst. He has also bagged numerous endorsement deals. The 51-year-old emphasized that he consciously stepped away from the celebrity persona several years ago. He cited the tendency of some celebrities to consider themselves intellectually superior or more significant than others, a mindset he wanted to avoid.Despite being one of the most recognizable figures in the country, ONeal pointed out that he deliberately refrains from traveling with an entourage and doesnt showcase his wealth or jewelry. He gave credit for these choices to his mother, Lucille ONeal, who insisted on instilling humility in her son.Moms lessonONeal then explained how his mom came to his house and made him watch footage of the time she felt he acted out. Shes like, How do you think that look I was like, That looks stupid. he recalls without detailing the exact moment. She said, Thats not necessary, baby. You dont need to do all that stuff.Since then, ONeal has prided himself on maintaining an everyday man persona, engaging in activities like randomly gifting computers or bikes to kids and participating in pickup basketball games.As he gears up for his annual Shaqs Fun House party at Wynn Las Vegas XS nightclub during Super Bowl weekend, ONeal emphasizes his commitment to remaining down-to-earth. He said, I have to do regular peoples stuff because Im a regular person. I aint got no security. I aint got no entourage. Im just a guy that played in the NBA.Shaqs first loveReflecting on his atypical physical stature during his basketball career at 71 and 325 lbs., ONeal acknowledged his love for football. He said that football was his first love before he switched to basketball due to an injury. He concluded, I wouldve been a tight end for the Cowboys. A Dallas Cowboys fan, Shaq adds that if the NFL team makes it to Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII, hell wear cowboy boots with a cowboy hat.
