1
00:00:14,013 --> 00:00:16,433
- The world knows
I'm a bullshitter.
2
00:00:16,516 --> 00:00:18,035
Like, sometimes
when you're telling a story,
3
00:00:18,059 --> 00:00:20,103
you want to add
a little barbecue sauce.
4
00:00:20,186 --> 00:00:21,312
I don't want to go,
5
00:00:21,396 --> 00:00:23,690
"I walked to the store
and bought a loaf of bread."
6
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Like, right, that's
the gist of the story,
7
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but as I was walking to a store,
8
00:00:27,694 --> 00:00:30,363
a dog started chasing me
and I ran up the tree.
9
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The branch broke.
I landed on my back.
10
00:00:32,824 --> 00:00:33,742
And then when I land,
11
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I thought the dog
was gonna bite me,
12
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but he licked me in the face.
13
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And then the lady came out,
14
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and, oh, my God,
she was beautiful.
15
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And she was single.
And now we're married.
16
00:00:40,665 --> 00:00:42,208
Like, you just have to...
17
00:00:42,292 --> 00:00:45,253
I'm not lyin'; I just like
to add a little, you know.
18
00:00:53,052 --> 00:00:54,846
DJ Diesel, white guy classics.
19
00:00:54,929 --> 00:00:57,348
White guy classics.
White guy classics.
20
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That's how we did it
in high school.
21
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Yeah.
22
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Yeah, that's how we did it.
23
00:01:17,368 --> 00:01:19,412
- Meet Shaquille O'Neal.
24
00:01:19,496 --> 00:01:21,790
Averaging 47 points a game,
25
00:01:21,873 --> 00:01:23,958
Shaquille's a man among boys
on the court.
26
00:01:24,042 --> 00:01:26,044
- That's a seven-footer!
Are you serious?
27
00:01:26,127 --> 00:01:28,671
- LSU's Shaquille O'Neal
is already being heralded
28
00:01:28,755 --> 00:01:30,395
as one of the top centers
in the universe.
29
00:01:30,423 --> 00:01:31,883
- Square off,
and they're brawling.
30
00:01:31,966 --> 00:01:35,386
- The Orlando Magic
selects Shaquille O'Neal
31
00:01:35,470 --> 00:01:37,680
from Louisiana State University.
32
00:01:37,764 --> 00:01:40,517
- He brought
the whole thing down.
33
00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,360
- I would like to present
to Shaquille O'Neal
34
00:01:42,435 --> 00:01:45,104
the Most Valuable
Rookie of the Year award.
35
00:01:45,188 --> 00:01:47,649
- And the young Orlando Magic
have come here to win
36
00:01:47,732 --> 00:01:48,858
in Chicago.
37
00:01:48,942 --> 00:01:51,653
- They have swept
the Orlando Magic!
38
00:01:51,736 --> 00:01:53,822
- Shaq signed the largest deal
in sports history
39
00:01:53,905 --> 00:01:55,990
with the Los Angeles Lakers.
40
00:01:56,074 --> 00:01:58,952
- NBA MVP Shaquille O'Neal.
41
00:02:03,122 --> 00:02:05,208
- I'ma bring the championship
to Miami, I promise.
42
00:02:05,291 --> 00:02:07,585
- Congratulations, Miami.
43
00:02:09,504 --> 00:02:11,131
- Give it up
to the greatest big man
44
00:02:11,214 --> 00:02:12,382
to ever play the game.
45
00:02:12,465 --> 00:02:14,300
- Can you dig it?
46
00:02:17,387 --> 00:02:20,390
- My mother comes
from a very religious family.
47
00:02:20,473 --> 00:02:22,892
So after I was born,
we were outcasted.
48
00:02:24,310 --> 00:02:26,104
- Well, it was 1970s.
49
00:02:26,187 --> 00:02:27,706
And a lot
of the young women were looking
50
00:02:27,730 --> 00:02:30,191
for unique names
for their children.
51
00:02:30,275 --> 00:02:31,860
And I wanted him to have a name
52
00:02:31,943 --> 00:02:33,987
that really spoke to who he was.
53
00:02:34,070 --> 00:02:36,656
So we looked into a book
of Islamic names.
54
00:02:36,739 --> 00:02:39,701
Shaquille, meaning "little one,"
55
00:02:39,784 --> 00:02:41,452
Rashaun, meaning "warrior,"
56
00:02:41,536 --> 00:02:43,872
and you know our last name,
O'Neal.
57
00:02:43,955 --> 00:02:47,041
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal.
58
00:02:47,125 --> 00:02:49,419
- She brought me home
to my grandmother's house.
59
00:02:49,502 --> 00:02:51,921
And it was like she saw
a ray of light.
60
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'Cause I'ma tell you
about the elderly women
61
00:02:53,506 --> 00:02:54,424
in my family.
62
00:02:54,507 --> 00:02:56,259
All the stuff
that's happened to me now?
63
00:02:56,342 --> 00:02:57,552
They knew.
64
00:02:57,635 --> 00:02:59,220
They knew.
65
00:02:59,304 --> 00:03:00,471
They would always say...
66
00:03:00,555 --> 00:03:02,265
- "Something special
about that one."
67
00:03:02,891 --> 00:03:05,143
It was something,
something special.
68
00:03:05,226 --> 00:03:08,771
We lived in a time
where we had civil unrest.
69
00:03:08,855 --> 00:03:11,441
A lot of things
were a Black and white issue.
70
00:03:11,524 --> 00:03:14,068
And there was just stress
outside of the home.
71
00:03:14,152 --> 00:03:16,738
So laughter was one of the ways
that we came together
72
00:03:16,821 --> 00:03:19,240
and just really enjoyed
being together.
73
00:03:19,324 --> 00:03:21,242
And it made
for a big, happy family.
74
00:03:21,326 --> 00:03:23,077
We call him Daddy Shaq sometimes
75
00:03:23,161 --> 00:03:25,281
'cause he was the oldest,
and so he was the bossy one.
76
00:03:25,330 --> 00:03:28,082
And then we had Lateefah.
She's the sensitive one.
77
00:03:28,166 --> 00:03:29,083
And then we had Ayesha.
78
00:03:29,167 --> 00:03:30,793
She was the one
that was full of joy
79
00:03:30,877 --> 00:03:32,420
and full of laughter.
80
00:03:32,503 --> 00:03:33,630
And we got Jamal.
81
00:03:33,713 --> 00:03:36,633
He took on a piece of
everybody else's personality.
82
00:03:36,716 --> 00:03:39,886
And then Phil being
that strong disciplinarian.
83
00:03:39,969 --> 00:03:41,638
And then here I am,
I'm the peacemaker.
84
00:03:41,721 --> 00:03:44,641
So we had a good time
with our family.
85
00:03:44,724 --> 00:03:47,018
- Tell me about your service
in the military.
86
00:03:47,101 --> 00:03:48,829
- Well, I'm stationed
at Fort Sam Houston, Texas,
87
00:03:48,853 --> 00:03:49,938
in San Antonio.
88
00:03:50,021 --> 00:03:51,981
I'm a supply sergeant there.
- Mm-hmm.
89
00:03:52,065 --> 00:03:54,651
- I'm assigned to
the Academy of Health Science.
90
00:03:54,734 --> 00:03:56,110
- Mm-hmm.
Looks like you've seen
91
00:03:56,194 --> 00:03:57,254
quite a bit of service too.
92
00:03:57,278 --> 00:03:59,656
- Oh, I've been there
for 18 1/2 years.
93
00:03:59,739 --> 00:04:01,991
- I remember playing ball
with his dad.
94
00:04:02,075 --> 00:04:03,993
We used to play every Sunday.
95
00:04:04,077 --> 00:04:06,913
Phil was just a absolute beast.
96
00:04:06,996 --> 00:04:10,124
He grew up inner city,
where he played sports.
97
00:04:10,208 --> 00:04:12,126
And then he was a military man.
98
00:04:12,210 --> 00:04:13,670
- We got married when Shaquille
99
00:04:13,753 --> 00:04:15,171
was close to two years old.
100
00:04:15,254 --> 00:04:16,172
So Phil was his father.
101
00:04:16,255 --> 00:04:18,341
And he's the only man and father
102
00:04:18,424 --> 00:04:20,009
that Shaquille has ever known.
103
00:04:20,093 --> 00:04:23,680
- We were all product
of inner-city strength.
104
00:04:23,763 --> 00:04:26,349
Phil made sure that his kids
105
00:04:26,432 --> 00:04:28,476
wouldn't follow
that same pattern.
106
00:04:28,559 --> 00:04:29,644
- Oh, it was a lot of love,
107
00:04:29,727 --> 00:04:30,853
a lot of discipline.
108
00:04:30,937 --> 00:04:32,105
Like, my dad didn't...
109
00:04:32,188 --> 00:04:33,815
He did some talking,
110
00:04:33,898 --> 00:04:36,567
but if you didn't listen,
if you disobeyed,
111
00:04:36,651 --> 00:04:39,153
he'd put the crackdown on us.
112
00:04:39,237 --> 00:04:40,279
- He always told me,
113
00:04:40,363 --> 00:04:42,198
"I'ma make you better
than I was."
114
00:04:42,281 --> 00:04:43,550
- And my dad
would always tell us,
115
00:04:43,574 --> 00:04:45,284
"Y'all might hate my ways..."
116
00:04:45,368 --> 00:04:47,328
- "But you love my results."
117
00:04:47,412 --> 00:04:48,663
You ever heard that one?
118
00:04:48,746 --> 00:04:49,998
- The way I got a spankin',
119
00:04:50,081 --> 00:04:51,361
if you're looking
on the outside,
120
00:04:51,416 --> 00:04:53,459
you would bring up the A word.
121
00:04:53,543 --> 00:04:54,561
But he would never come in
122
00:04:54,585 --> 00:04:56,713
and just knock me out
for no reason.
123
00:04:56,796 --> 00:04:58,923
I used to do a lot of kid stuff.
124
00:04:59,007 --> 00:05:00,717
Then a strange thing happens.
125
00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:02,552
As I'm starting
to figure things out
126
00:05:02,635 --> 00:05:04,887
and be more responsible
around the house,
127
00:05:04,971 --> 00:05:07,056
I realized
that my last name is different
128
00:05:07,140 --> 00:05:08,975
from my brother's and sisters'.
129
00:05:09,058 --> 00:05:11,894
So I said, "Mommy,
why is my name Shaquille O'Neal
130
00:05:11,978 --> 00:05:14,230
and Jamal, Lateefah,
131
00:05:14,313 --> 00:05:16,524
and Ayesha's last name
is Harrison?
132
00:05:16,607 --> 00:05:18,651
- We were just told
that Shaquille was born
133
00:05:18,735 --> 00:05:21,070
before my mom and dad
got married.
134
00:05:21,154 --> 00:05:24,323
He kept the name O'Neal
because it just sounded good.
135
00:05:24,407 --> 00:05:27,577
- And she said,
"Baby, I always wanted
136
00:05:27,660 --> 00:05:29,746
"to tell you this.
137
00:05:29,829 --> 00:05:32,540
Sarge is not
your real father."
138
00:05:32,623 --> 00:05:34,709
What?
139
00:05:34,792 --> 00:05:37,295
- I wanted to ensure
that he knew the truth.
140
00:05:37,378 --> 00:05:40,298
And I introduced him
when he got to an age
141
00:05:40,381 --> 00:05:41,716
where he would understand,
142
00:05:41,799 --> 00:05:44,135
because I didn't want him
to hear that from anybody else.
143
00:05:44,218 --> 00:05:46,429
- She said, "Would you like
to meet your real father?"
144
00:05:46,512 --> 00:05:49,098
- "Yeah, I can get away
from this motherfucker now
145
00:05:49,182 --> 00:05:50,767
and go live with my other dad."
146
00:05:50,850 --> 00:05:54,145
And we get in the car,
and guess where we end up at.
147
00:05:54,228 --> 00:05:57,065
The same projects
I was born and raised in.
148
00:05:57,148 --> 00:05:59,317
So we go in this guy's house,
Joe Toney,
149
00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:00,735
and we're sittin' talkin'.
150
00:06:00,818 --> 00:06:03,696
But I'm lookin' around like...
151
00:06:03,780 --> 00:06:05,573
"I'm not comin' back
to this shit."
152
00:06:05,656 --> 00:06:07,241
- He didn't care.
153
00:06:08,868 --> 00:06:10,244
He's like, "Okay."
154
00:06:10,328 --> 00:06:11,579
- This guy...
155
00:06:11,662 --> 00:06:13,015
At two years old
when you married him,
156
00:06:13,039 --> 00:06:15,249
and I look at him
and all the spankings I took,
157
00:06:15,333 --> 00:06:16,959
that this is my daddy.
158
00:06:19,504 --> 00:06:21,798
The power of love is great.
159
00:06:21,881 --> 00:06:24,467
We had so much love growing up.
160
00:06:24,550 --> 00:06:25,968
I thought I was rich.
161
00:06:26,052 --> 00:06:27,052
- Money was tight,
162
00:06:27,095 --> 00:06:29,305
but the love
was overpowering the money,
163
00:06:29,388 --> 00:06:32,225
so we just all had this bond.
164
00:06:32,308 --> 00:06:33,810
- Our father had this motto,
165
00:06:33,893 --> 00:06:35,478
"If one jump in,
166
00:06:35,561 --> 00:06:36,938
we all jump in."
167
00:06:37,021 --> 00:06:39,440
One time, this girl,
she hit me in the mouth.
168
00:06:39,524 --> 00:06:42,193
And I ran and told my sister.
169
00:06:42,276 --> 00:06:44,946
- So I just immediately went
and hit her.
170
00:06:45,029 --> 00:06:47,281
Her sister came from the side
and blindsided me,
171
00:06:47,365 --> 00:06:49,075
so I fell on my back.
172
00:06:49,158 --> 00:06:52,203
So Shaquille grabbed the sister
by the collar,
173
00:06:52,286 --> 00:06:55,289
and he took Ayesha,
our younger sister's hand
174
00:06:55,373 --> 00:06:58,417
and started hitting her
upside the face.
175
00:06:58,501 --> 00:07:01,087
And then the brother
came down there...
176
00:07:01,170 --> 00:07:02,689
And this is when Shaquille...
He was, like,
177
00:07:02,713 --> 00:07:05,341
all into wrestling,
so he picked the brother up
178
00:07:05,424 --> 00:07:07,343
and he did, like,
a backbreaker on him,
179
00:07:07,426 --> 00:07:09,178
and the guy's all on the floor.
180
00:07:09,262 --> 00:07:10,888
And then the mom came,
and she's yelling.
181
00:07:10,972 --> 00:07:12,181
She's like, "Hey!"
182
00:07:12,265 --> 00:07:14,076
And then Shaquille's like,
"Oh, my God, we gotta go.
183
00:07:14,100 --> 00:07:15,268
Let's run."
184
00:07:15,351 --> 00:07:17,271
So he grabbed us all up,
and we took off running.
185
00:07:17,311 --> 00:07:18,938
And we get home, then...
186
00:07:20,398 --> 00:07:22,316
Knock on the door,
and she was like,
187
00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,027
"Yeah, your kids
beat up my kids.
188
00:07:25,111 --> 00:07:27,989
"Your son did some kind of move
on my son,
189
00:07:28,072 --> 00:07:30,491
and now his back
is all hurting."
190
00:07:30,575 --> 00:07:33,244
And my dad was like,
"Ooh, ooh, I'ma get y'all.
191
00:07:33,327 --> 00:07:34,327
Wait when they leave."
192
00:07:34,370 --> 00:07:36,164
My dad closed the door,
and he was like,
193
00:07:36,247 --> 00:07:39,000
"That's right.
That's what I'm talking about."
194
00:07:39,083 --> 00:07:41,085
"One of y'all get in a fight,
195
00:07:41,169 --> 00:07:42,461
y'all all get in a fight."
196
00:07:42,545 --> 00:07:43,921
- We all looked out
for each other.
197
00:07:44,005 --> 00:07:45,423
That's just the way it was.
198
00:07:45,506 --> 00:07:47,884
- Shaquille felt like
he had to take care of us.
199
00:07:47,967 --> 00:07:49,594
"Listen, y'all are number one."
200
00:07:49,677 --> 00:07:52,221
Never, "Okay, you do you."
201
00:07:52,305 --> 00:07:53,848
No, it's not like that.
202
00:07:54,390 --> 00:07:58,102
- Around Christmastime,
my dad sits me down.
203
00:07:58,186 --> 00:08:00,897
Said, "Look, dog, you know,
204
00:08:00,980 --> 00:08:02,624
"when you get married
you'll understand this.
205
00:08:02,648 --> 00:08:03,917
"You gotta take care
of the ladies.
206
00:08:03,941 --> 00:08:05,860
"You always have to protect,
207
00:08:05,943 --> 00:08:08,112
"provide, and love
for the ladies.
208
00:08:08,196 --> 00:08:10,090
"You know, I know you want
the big boom box and all that,
209
00:08:10,114 --> 00:08:11,699
"but I can't get that right now.
210
00:08:11,782 --> 00:08:13,093
Next payday,
I'll get it for you."
211
00:08:13,117 --> 00:08:14,577
"No, that's cool."
212
00:08:14,660 --> 00:08:16,078
'Cause I'm all about family.
213
00:08:16,162 --> 00:08:17,538
And if I come in the house
214
00:08:17,622 --> 00:08:20,082
and see everybody smiling,
I don't need nothing.
215
00:08:20,166 --> 00:08:23,502
I'm asleep in the room...
Not asleep, just fake sleep.
216
00:08:23,586 --> 00:08:25,266
So I hear everybody
opening up their stuff,
217
00:08:25,338 --> 00:08:27,048
and I'm just laying there.
218
00:08:28,424 --> 00:08:29,884
And something hit me
in the stomach.
219
00:08:29,967 --> 00:08:31,594
"Oh!"
220
00:08:31,677 --> 00:08:33,596
And I look,
and it was an autographed...
221
00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:36,766
Fake autograph... but it was
an autographed Dr. J ball.
222
00:08:36,849 --> 00:08:38,059
And then I look on the ground,
223
00:08:38,142 --> 00:08:39,422
and there was a little boom box.
224
00:08:39,477 --> 00:08:40,937
It wasn't no big one.
225
00:08:41,020 --> 00:08:43,064
And he's like,
"I appreciate you, big man."
226
00:08:43,147 --> 00:08:45,524
"No, I appreciate you, sir."
227
00:08:45,608 --> 00:08:47,276
That was
the best Christmas ever.
228
00:08:48,861 --> 00:08:51,864
- I think what carries him
is the love and the support
229
00:08:51,948 --> 00:08:53,574
that he always got from Phil.
230
00:08:53,658 --> 00:08:54,938
He didn't understand it
at first.
231
00:08:54,992 --> 00:08:57,119
He said, "Well, why did I get
so many whuppings?"
232
00:08:58,496 --> 00:09:01,499
I said, "Because you needed
to be disciplined.
233
00:09:01,582 --> 00:09:03,918
"You needed to be taught,
and sometimes that was
234
00:09:04,001 --> 00:09:05,920
the only way
to get your attention."
235
00:09:06,003 --> 00:09:09,966
But he had to realize
that it was for his good.
236
00:09:10,049 --> 00:09:12,218
You don't always understand why.
237
00:09:12,301 --> 00:09:14,095
But you appreciate it
when you get older,
238
00:09:14,178 --> 00:09:15,680
because had it gone
a different way,
239
00:09:15,763 --> 00:09:18,849
he may not be the man
that he is today.
240
00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:21,602
- I had three escapes.
241
00:09:21,686 --> 00:09:24,480
After I'd get whupped
and get done cryin',
242
00:09:24,563 --> 00:09:26,440
it was like God gave me
a certain remote.
243
00:09:26,524 --> 00:09:28,364
- You know those old TVs
where you had to turn?
244
00:09:29,860 --> 00:09:30,736
- When it would go out,
245
00:09:30,820 --> 00:09:32,100
you'd have to hit it
on the side?
246
00:09:32,905 --> 00:09:34,448
'Cause "Good Times"
is coming on.
247
00:09:34,532 --> 00:09:35,574
- Hello.
248
00:09:35,658 --> 00:09:37,827
- After "Good Times,"
here comes "Sanford and Son."
249
00:09:37,910 --> 00:09:39,787
- Son, you worthless.
250
00:09:39,870 --> 00:09:42,290
- After "Sanford and Son,"
here comes "The Jeffersons."
251
00:09:44,250 --> 00:09:46,002
Every night.
252
00:09:46,085 --> 00:09:48,546
But then the movie
that changed my life,
253
00:09:48,629 --> 00:09:51,090
called
"Fish That Saved Pittsburgh."
254
00:09:51,173 --> 00:09:52,800
And the movie's
about a young guy.
255
00:09:52,883 --> 00:09:56,053
He had to find Dr. J to get
him to play in this game.
256
00:09:56,137 --> 00:09:58,889
And then my father knew
the love I had for the movie.
257
00:09:58,973 --> 00:10:01,183
He said, "Son, if you pass
the next grade,
258
00:10:01,267 --> 00:10:03,144
I'll take you to see Dr. J."
259
00:10:03,227 --> 00:10:06,480
"Him? He's real?"
260
00:10:06,564 --> 00:10:08,500
So I'm busting my ass
in school, boom, boom, boom.
261
00:10:08,524 --> 00:10:10,985
Not an A, B guy. Cs.
262
00:10:11,068 --> 00:10:12,708
And then one day,
I'm sittin' in the room,
263
00:10:12,778 --> 00:10:14,155
and it was just me and him.
264
00:10:14,238 --> 00:10:16,216
He said, "Let's take a ride."
265
00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,951
We get in our little
Toyota Corolla.
266
00:10:20,328 --> 00:10:22,204
- We pull up
to Madison Square Garden,
267
00:10:22,288 --> 00:10:23,873
and we go way to the top.
268
00:10:23,956 --> 00:10:26,042
And then finally
when I look down,
269
00:10:26,125 --> 00:10:27,335
Dr. J goes baseline.
270
00:10:27,418 --> 00:10:29,712
Dunks. Crowd go cra...
271
00:10:29,795 --> 00:10:32,048
It was like some spirits
just entered my body.
272
00:10:34,091 --> 00:10:35,277
And I just immediately turned
to my father.
273
00:10:35,301 --> 00:10:38,054
I said, "Sir, I know what
I want to be when I grow up."
274
00:10:38,137 --> 00:10:40,556
In his words,
"If you listen to me,
275
00:10:40,639 --> 00:10:43,059
I'll make you one of the best
basketball players ever."
276
00:10:44,810 --> 00:10:47,271
- The pituitary gland
begins to secrete
277
00:10:47,355 --> 00:10:49,273
the growth hormone.
278
00:10:49,357 --> 00:10:52,151
The boy grows rapidly
in height, weight,
279
00:10:52,234 --> 00:10:53,277
and strength.
280
00:10:53,361 --> 00:10:54,904
But the rapid growth
of his muscles
281
00:10:54,987 --> 00:10:57,531
gives him a great need
for activity.
282
00:10:57,615 --> 00:11:00,409
And this may express itself
in many ways.
283
00:11:00,493 --> 00:11:03,371
- My grandfather was 7 foot
before we even realized
284
00:11:03,454 --> 00:11:05,373
that that was something
kind of special.
285
00:11:05,456 --> 00:11:07,750
And I didn't realize
that I would ever have children
286
00:11:07,833 --> 00:11:11,420
that would grow up to be
tall and handsome like that.
287
00:11:11,504 --> 00:11:14,590
Shaquille always grew
a height above
288
00:11:14,673 --> 00:11:17,426
or maybe a few pounds
above his peers.
289
00:11:17,510 --> 00:11:20,262
- I seen my mother knock
a bus driver out one time.
290
00:11:20,346 --> 00:11:22,807
Five and under can ride free.
291
00:11:22,890 --> 00:11:25,226
And I'm three, four,
but I'm a big kid.
292
00:11:25,309 --> 00:11:26,602
And the guy's tellin' my mama,
293
00:11:26,685 --> 00:11:29,188
"If he's five, he must be
retarded or something."
294
00:11:29,271 --> 00:11:31,357
And my mom hit him
with that bing, bing.
295
00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:32,440
Well, I...
296
00:11:32,483 --> 00:11:34,402
I had to,
because they'd make it seem
297
00:11:34,485 --> 00:11:36,737
like it was something
really wrong with that.
298
00:11:36,821 --> 00:11:38,030
But we learned so much.
299
00:11:38,114 --> 00:11:40,699
And we let him know
that it's okay.
300
00:11:40,783 --> 00:11:42,076
He didn't want to be different.
301
00:11:42,159 --> 00:11:44,328
He wanted to be the same height,
302
00:11:44,412 --> 00:11:46,414
the same size
as all of his peers.
303
00:11:46,497 --> 00:11:49,750
But he wasn't, to he had to
accept that fact, the reality.
304
00:11:49,834 --> 00:11:51,127
That was his life.
305
00:11:51,210 --> 00:11:53,796
- You either was gonna get
the clown Shaquille,
306
00:11:53,879 --> 00:11:56,132
or you was gonna get
the bully Shaquille.
307
00:11:56,215 --> 00:11:57,341
There wasn't no middle.
308
00:11:57,425 --> 00:11:58,926
See, being big,
309
00:11:59,009 --> 00:12:01,095
a lot of people thought
I was a holdback.
310
00:12:01,178 --> 00:12:03,347
But actually,
I skipped first grade,
311
00:12:03,431 --> 00:12:05,516
so... which means I was ahead.
312
00:12:05,599 --> 00:12:08,644
"You know, you're 11?
313
00:12:08,727 --> 00:12:10,479
"How are you 11 and you're 6'4"?
314
00:12:10,563 --> 00:12:12,356
You must be stupid
or something."
315
00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:14,984
So now I'm like,
"What'd you just say?
316
00:12:15,067 --> 00:12:17,445
3:00. Outside in the back."
317
00:12:17,528 --> 00:12:19,655
But because of "Good Times,"
"Sanford and Son,"
318
00:12:19,738 --> 00:12:22,741
"Jeffersons," I love to laugh.
319
00:12:22,825 --> 00:12:24,743
I didn't want to fight
every day.
320
00:12:24,827 --> 00:12:26,996
Let's laugh.
321
00:12:27,079 --> 00:12:28,622
Let's joke around.
322
00:12:28,706 --> 00:12:31,125
Let's make spit wads
and throw them at the teacher,
323
00:12:31,208 --> 00:12:32,918
and let's have fun.
324
00:12:33,961 --> 00:12:36,422
It was a way of being accepted.
325
00:12:36,505 --> 00:12:39,800
Didn't want to be looked at
as the tall kid
326
00:12:39,884 --> 00:12:42,553
who, by the way,
was terrible at sports.
327
00:12:42,636 --> 00:12:44,847
- Who taught him
how to play basketball?
328
00:12:44,930 --> 00:12:46,390
You know, it's hard to say.
329
00:12:46,474 --> 00:12:48,142
Phil taught him
a lot about basketball,
330
00:12:48,225 --> 00:12:51,020
'cause he began coaching him
when he was six years old.
331
00:12:51,103 --> 00:12:53,147
Now, I played basketball too,
332
00:12:53,230 --> 00:12:54,940
so I taught him a trick or two.
333
00:12:57,193 --> 00:12:58,861
- So when I first started
to play,
334
00:12:58,944 --> 00:13:00,321
my father was like, "Aah."
335
00:13:00,404 --> 00:13:01,548
He's not like, "Here you go."
336
00:13:01,572 --> 00:13:03,365
Like, he... and I'd go like this.
337
00:13:03,449 --> 00:13:04,593
So I can remember one day,
he said,
338
00:13:04,617 --> 00:13:07,828
"Put your hands on your side
and don't move."
339
00:13:07,912 --> 00:13:09,222
And he threw it. I moved.
"What the f...
340
00:13:09,246 --> 00:13:10,873
Didn't I say don't move?"
341
00:13:10,956 --> 00:13:12,309
So now I've gotta put
my hands on my side,
342
00:13:12,333 --> 00:13:14,710
and chest pass
right to the face.
343
00:13:14,793 --> 00:13:16,420
Boom.
344
00:13:16,504 --> 00:13:18,881
"Look, see? How was that?"
345
00:13:20,132 --> 00:13:21,276
The point he was trying to make:
346
00:13:21,300 --> 00:13:22,718
stop being scared of the ball.
347
00:13:22,801 --> 00:13:24,345
'Cause even if you get hit,
348
00:13:24,428 --> 00:13:25,554
this is how it's gonna feel.
349
00:13:25,638 --> 00:13:26,764
I ain't gonna kill you.
350
00:13:26,847 --> 00:13:29,433
So after that,
my hands became impeccable.
351
00:13:29,517 --> 00:13:31,894
Now it's time to put me
on the team and coach me.
352
00:13:31,977 --> 00:13:33,687
I had two moves.
353
00:13:33,771 --> 00:13:35,689
Catch it, look left, look right,
354
00:13:35,773 --> 00:13:38,108
and dribble, off the glass.
355
00:13:38,192 --> 00:13:41,278
And I can remember a story,
we were in Bayonne, New Jersey.
356
00:13:41,362 --> 00:13:42,196
I'm not really that good.
357
00:13:42,279 --> 00:13:43,572
I'm just bigger than everybody.
358
00:13:43,656 --> 00:13:46,742
And I can remember this guy
storm on the basketball court,
359
00:13:46,825 --> 00:13:48,077
grab his son.
360
00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:49,160
This is what he says:
361
00:13:49,203 --> 00:13:51,622
"No way that motherfucker's
ten years old.
362
00:13:51,705 --> 00:13:53,141
"If that motherfucker
is ten years old,
363
00:13:53,165 --> 00:13:54,833
"he's gonna be
one of the best NBA players
364
00:13:54,917 --> 00:13:56,293
to ever fuckin' play the game."
365
00:13:56,377 --> 00:13:57,920
And he walks off.
He takes his kid.
366
00:13:58,003 --> 00:13:59,380
They forfeit the game.
367
00:13:59,463 --> 00:14:01,507
And my dad's like,
"See? See?
368
00:14:01,590 --> 00:14:04,051
If you listen to me, I'ma
make you the best player ever."
369
00:14:06,345 --> 00:14:08,847
I went from the projects
of Newark, New Jersey,
370
00:14:08,931 --> 00:14:11,600
to down South,
Hinesville, Georgia.
371
00:14:11,684 --> 00:14:13,936
First time I seen a whole bunch
of white people
372
00:14:14,019 --> 00:14:15,479
at the same time.
373
00:14:15,563 --> 00:14:17,815
First day of school,
"What's up, my nigga?"
374
00:14:18,983 --> 00:14:20,669
"Is that white boy
supposed to call me that?
375
00:14:20,693 --> 00:14:23,737
3:00.
I'm fucking you up at 3:00."
376
00:14:23,821 --> 00:14:26,073
I gave him the beatdown
of his life.
377
00:14:26,156 --> 00:14:27,741
He starts having a seizure.
378
00:14:27,825 --> 00:14:30,411
There was a guy who saw that,
379
00:14:30,494 --> 00:14:32,705
came, put the pen in his mouth,
380
00:14:32,788 --> 00:14:34,331
and saved this kid's life.
381
00:14:34,415 --> 00:14:37,167
Now, if he wasn't there,
382
00:14:37,251 --> 00:14:38,460
none of this would be.
383
00:14:38,544 --> 00:14:40,963
The cops come,
384
00:14:41,046 --> 00:14:42,673
talk to my dad,
385
00:14:42,756 --> 00:14:44,341
and he spanks me again.
386
00:14:44,425 --> 00:14:46,069
He gives me the, "You know
what could have happened
387
00:14:46,093 --> 00:14:47,469
if you would have killed
this kid?"
388
00:14:47,553 --> 00:14:50,848
So now the bully side is dead.
389
00:14:50,931 --> 00:14:53,183
Dead.
390
00:14:53,267 --> 00:14:55,102
No way.
391
00:14:55,185 --> 00:14:57,187
'Cause it only takes
one mistake.
392
00:14:57,271 --> 00:14:59,273
You can have a million dreams.
393
00:14:59,356 --> 00:15:00,733
Only takes one mistake.
394
00:15:00,816 --> 00:15:02,502
At that point in my life,
395
00:15:02,526 --> 00:15:04,695
I was dreamin'
about being a rapper.
396
00:15:04,778 --> 00:15:06,447
I was dreamin'
about being an actor.
397
00:15:06,530 --> 00:15:08,741
I was dreamin' about being rich.
398
00:15:08,824 --> 00:15:10,909
I was dreamin' about
being a basketball player.
399
00:15:10,993 --> 00:15:12,161
I was just dreamin'.
400
00:15:12,244 --> 00:15:14,330
And then if all that
didn't work, guess what.
401
00:15:14,413 --> 00:15:15,831
I'm joining the army.
402
00:15:15,914 --> 00:15:19,043
'Cause you know why?
This is a pretty good life.
403
00:15:19,126 --> 00:15:20,753
Always had plans.
404
00:15:20,836 --> 00:15:23,255
I'm never going
to the bottom, ever.
405
00:15:23,339 --> 00:15:24,673
'Cause I've seen the bottom.
406
00:15:24,757 --> 00:15:26,008
We just came from the bottom.
407
00:15:26,091 --> 00:15:27,891
This guy Philip Harrison
brought us somewhere.
408
00:15:27,968 --> 00:15:29,178
It ain't at the top.
409
00:15:29,261 --> 00:15:30,554
I ain't going back
to the bottom.
410
00:15:30,638 --> 00:15:32,014
Now when I leave Georgia,
411
00:15:32,097 --> 00:15:33,849
we going to a place
called Germany.
412
00:15:35,934 --> 00:15:37,269
I'm like, "What's that?"
413
00:15:37,353 --> 00:15:39,063
"Get your ass on the plane!"
414
00:15:40,064 --> 00:15:41,315
Cargo plane.
415
00:15:42,775 --> 00:15:45,027
- There were rows and rows
of military families
416
00:15:45,110 --> 00:15:47,946
going to these different
stations in Germany,
417
00:15:48,030 --> 00:15:49,948
so we didn't feel so alone.
418
00:15:50,032 --> 00:15:52,993
And I can't say
that we weren't ready,
419
00:15:53,077 --> 00:15:54,995
but we were a little bit fearful
420
00:15:55,079 --> 00:15:57,831
because we had never been
on an airplane before.
421
00:15:57,915 --> 00:16:00,918
And that is a long, long ride.
422
00:16:01,001 --> 00:16:03,253
- I'm like,
"What the fuck is this?"
423
00:16:03,337 --> 00:16:05,214
Woods.
424
00:16:05,297 --> 00:16:07,049
Wildflecken is on a mountain.
425
00:16:07,132 --> 00:16:09,385
And the base is even smaller.
426
00:16:09,468 --> 00:16:12,221
And now I'm like, "Oh, my God."
427
00:16:12,304 --> 00:16:14,223
And I hate using this word
"depression."
428
00:16:14,306 --> 00:16:16,058
It was bad.
429
00:16:16,141 --> 00:16:18,060
But it was a blessing for me,
430
00:16:18,143 --> 00:16:19,853
'cause now there's
only one thing to do:
431
00:16:19,937 --> 00:16:22,189
play sports.
432
00:16:22,272 --> 00:16:23,774
I go to the base every day.
433
00:16:23,857 --> 00:16:25,526
And there's no kids up there.
434
00:16:25,609 --> 00:16:27,369
I'm only there because
my father runs the gym
435
00:16:27,444 --> 00:16:29,530
and I'm not sitting
at the house all day.
436
00:16:29,613 --> 00:16:31,907
"Get your ass out there
and play."
437
00:16:31,990 --> 00:16:34,368
So I play. I'm terrible.
438
00:16:34,451 --> 00:16:36,912
People criticizin' me.
I know it.
439
00:16:36,995 --> 00:16:39,164
My father comes in the house
one day.
440
00:16:39,248 --> 00:16:40,433
He hits me
in the back of the head
441
00:16:40,457 --> 00:16:42,918
with a paper.
442
00:16:43,001 --> 00:16:46,130
Says, "College coach
comes to Wildflecken
443
00:16:46,213 --> 00:16:47,631
to speak to the troops."
444
00:16:47,715 --> 00:16:48,924
"Get your ass up.
445
00:16:49,007 --> 00:16:50,327
See if you can get
a scholarship."
446
00:16:50,384 --> 00:16:51,760
But before I left, I say,
447
00:16:51,844 --> 00:16:53,762
"I'm talkin' to a college coach.
448
00:16:53,846 --> 00:16:55,097
Let me sound smart."
449
00:16:55,180 --> 00:16:57,182
So I...
450
00:16:58,350 --> 00:16:59,768
Extremities.
451
00:17:00,519 --> 00:17:04,022
Extrem... extrem... extremities.
452
00:17:05,649 --> 00:17:06,960
- All right, now, no punches
were thrown there.
453
00:17:06,984 --> 00:17:08,861
- Lookit, you see Dale Brown
push Groves?
454
00:17:08,944 --> 00:17:09,944
And then Gro...
455
00:17:09,987 --> 00:17:11,005
- It was really by accident
456
00:17:11,029 --> 00:17:12,114
when I first met him
457
00:17:12,197 --> 00:17:13,615
in a place called Wildflecken
458
00:17:13,699 --> 00:17:14,783
up in the mountains.
459
00:17:14,867 --> 00:17:16,869
I was at the gym where I was
putting on the clinic.
460
00:17:16,952 --> 00:17:19,413
And I'm packing my bag, and I
get a tap on the shoulder.
461
00:17:19,496 --> 00:17:21,290
And I turn around, and...
462
00:17:21,373 --> 00:17:24,293
here's this giant of a guy,
kind of shy.
463
00:17:24,376 --> 00:17:25,461
"Coach Brown," he said,
464
00:17:25,544 --> 00:17:27,588
I'll be trying out
for the team."
465
00:17:27,671 --> 00:17:30,257
And he said,
"I can't dunk a ball.
466
00:17:30,340 --> 00:17:31,717
"And I run up and down the court
467
00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:33,469
about three, four times..."
468
00:17:33,552 --> 00:17:34,970
"And my lower extremities..."
469
00:17:35,053 --> 00:17:36,805
- "Tire."
470
00:17:36,889 --> 00:17:37,973
I say, "Lower extremities?"
471
00:17:38,057 --> 00:17:39,767
I didn't say that to him,
but I'm thinking,
472
00:17:39,850 --> 00:17:40,976
"He's a pretty smart guy."
473
00:17:41,059 --> 00:17:44,605
He said, "Can you show me
some exercises to improve it?"
474
00:17:44,688 --> 00:17:46,332
"What I'll do, Soldier,
when I get back to Baton Rouge
475
00:17:46,356 --> 00:17:47,667
is, I'll send you
the weight training program."
476
00:17:47,691 --> 00:17:49,610
I said, "How long
you been in service?"
477
00:17:49,693 --> 00:17:52,446
And he goes like this,
and he goes, "Coach Brown,
478
00:17:52,529 --> 00:17:54,990
I'm only 13 years old."
479
00:17:55,073 --> 00:17:56,450
I said, "What?"
480
00:17:56,533 --> 00:17:58,118
Being the Rhodes Scholar I am,
481
00:17:58,202 --> 00:18:01,580
my next question was,
"Where's your dad?"
482
00:18:01,663 --> 00:18:02,682
He said, "He's in the sauna."
483
00:18:02,706 --> 00:18:04,541
I said, "I'd like to meet him."
484
00:18:05,375 --> 00:18:06,835
So we're heading to the sauna.
485
00:18:06,919 --> 00:18:08,837
I was just putting my hand
on the door
486
00:18:08,921 --> 00:18:10,297
and the door burst open.
487
00:18:10,380 --> 00:18:12,633
And out, coming,
sweating profusely,
488
00:18:12,716 --> 00:18:14,343
military-green towel
around him...
489
00:18:14,426 --> 00:18:16,220
"That's my dad.
That's my dad."
490
00:18:16,303 --> 00:18:18,055
This is important.
491
00:18:18,138 --> 00:18:20,015
I handed him my business card,
and I said,
492
00:18:20,098 --> 00:18:22,559
"Sergeant Harrison,"
I said, "my name's Dale Brown.
493
00:18:22,643 --> 00:18:24,478
I'm the head basketball coach
at LSU."
494
00:18:24,561 --> 00:18:28,148
And almost with disdain,
"Excuse me, Coach Brown."
495
00:18:28,232 --> 00:18:30,859
He says, "This is all fine
and good, basketball."
496
00:18:30,943 --> 00:18:33,153
But he said,
"I think it's time,"
497
00:18:33,237 --> 00:18:35,489
he said,
"our children get degrees
498
00:18:35,572 --> 00:18:36,966
"so they can be
generals in the army
499
00:18:36,990 --> 00:18:38,200
"instead of a sergeant.
500
00:18:38,283 --> 00:18:39,761
"They can be presidents
of corporations
501
00:18:39,785 --> 00:18:40,994
"instead of janitors.
502
00:18:41,078 --> 00:18:43,664
"They can be head coaches
instead of assistant coaches
503
00:18:43,747 --> 00:18:45,642
"running all over the country
looking for players.
504
00:18:45,666 --> 00:18:47,835
"If you're interested
in my son's intellect,
505
00:18:47,918 --> 00:18:49,628
we might talk someday."
506
00:18:49,711 --> 00:18:51,213
- Sends me the program.
507
00:18:51,296 --> 00:18:52,881
So I try everything.
508
00:18:52,965 --> 00:18:55,050
And I try out
for the team again,
509
00:18:55,134 --> 00:18:56,260
but I don't make it.
510
00:18:56,343 --> 00:18:58,387
So I write him a tearful letter.
511
00:18:58,470 --> 00:19:02,057
"Coach, I'm sorry.
It didn't work."
512
00:19:02,140 --> 00:19:03,183
- "I did everything..."
513
00:19:03,267 --> 00:19:04,619
- "Thank you for the help."
- "You told me to do..."
514
00:19:04,643 --> 00:19:05,745
- "I appreciate it."
- "And my high school coach
515
00:19:05,769 --> 00:19:07,271
"cut me off the team.
516
00:19:07,354 --> 00:19:10,023
"He told me I'm too slow,
I'm too clumsy,
517
00:19:10,107 --> 00:19:11,358
"I have too big of feet.
518
00:19:11,441 --> 00:19:13,735
"I will never be
a basketball player.
519
00:19:13,819 --> 00:19:15,571
Why don't I be a goalie
in soccer?"
520
00:19:15,654 --> 00:19:17,364
So I sat behind my desk
and I thought,
521
00:19:17,447 --> 00:19:19,867
"Now, what kind
of a profound statement
522
00:19:19,950 --> 00:19:22,703
am I gonna make
to a 13-year-old child?"
523
00:19:22,786 --> 00:19:23,871
"Dear Shaquille,
524
00:19:23,954 --> 00:19:25,706
"I'm so sorry
what happened to you.
525
00:19:25,789 --> 00:19:28,959
"But I found out in my life
when I heard people whispering,
526
00:19:29,042 --> 00:19:31,920
"'He has no father.
His mother's on welfare.
527
00:19:32,004 --> 00:19:33,189
"'He lives
in a one-room apartment.
528
00:19:33,213 --> 00:19:34,923
He won't be successful, '
529
00:19:35,007 --> 00:19:39,303
"if you always sincerely
try to do your very best...
530
00:19:39,386 --> 00:19:43,056
"and only you will know that...
And you never give up
531
00:19:43,140 --> 00:19:44,933
"under any conditions,
532
00:19:45,017 --> 00:19:48,604
sooner or later, God'll take
care of everything else."
533
00:19:48,687 --> 00:19:51,523
- That's why I wanted to go
to LSU.
534
00:19:51,607 --> 00:19:55,903
Because before I became
this character known as "Shaq,"
535
00:19:55,986 --> 00:19:57,321
nobody wanted me.
536
00:19:57,404 --> 00:20:01,033
But Dale Brown looked at me.
He chose me.
537
00:20:01,116 --> 00:20:02,576
He put his hand
around my shoulders
538
00:20:02,659 --> 00:20:05,287
and saw something in me
that I didn't see.
539
00:20:07,414 --> 00:20:09,416
- So I was in my office
one afternoon,
540
00:20:09,499 --> 00:20:11,001
and a tall, skinny kid
walked in.
541
00:20:11,084 --> 00:20:12,628
And I knew who it was,
542
00:20:12,711 --> 00:20:14,963
but I had never really
introduced myself to him.
543
00:20:15,047 --> 00:20:17,299
And he said,
"Coach, I want to try out
544
00:20:17,382 --> 00:20:18,382
for the basketball team."
545
00:20:18,425 --> 00:20:20,761
He said,
"If you promise not to cut me,
546
00:20:20,844 --> 00:20:23,013
I promise you won't regret it."
547
00:20:23,096 --> 00:20:25,933
And I said, "Okay, we'll see
how things go."
548
00:20:26,016 --> 00:20:28,268
Shaquille kind of cut his teeth
549
00:20:28,352 --> 00:20:29,853
playing down on the base gym
550
00:20:29,937 --> 00:20:32,773
against 19-, 20-, 21-year-old
soldiers.
551
00:20:32,856 --> 00:20:35,317
His dad, Sergeant Harrison,
would take him down,
552
00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:36,610
drop him off.
553
00:20:36,693 --> 00:20:38,779
Man, I tell you what,
I know at that time
554
00:20:38,862 --> 00:20:40,989
I didn't understand that guy.
555
00:20:41,073 --> 00:20:43,408
He was so hard on Shaquille.
He was so...
556
00:20:43,492 --> 00:20:45,178
I think there were times
Shaquille was afraid of him
557
00:20:45,202 --> 00:20:46,620
and rightfully so.
558
00:20:46,703 --> 00:20:48,056
I'm not a parent.
I don't have kids.
559
00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:49,957
It's not my place to say
560
00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,292
whether it was too hard
or too soft or...
561
00:20:52,376 --> 00:20:54,795
I think the results
speak for themselves.
562
00:20:54,878 --> 00:20:56,838
Let's just say this,
563
00:20:56,922 --> 00:20:59,216
11.
564
00:21:00,968 --> 00:21:02,511
When I first started with him,
565
00:21:02,594 --> 00:21:05,180
Shaquille's brain and his body
566
00:21:05,263 --> 00:21:07,307
is still catching up
with his size.
567
00:21:07,391 --> 00:21:09,518
And there were times
when he would run
568
00:21:09,601 --> 00:21:12,396
and his bones were going faster
than his muscles.
569
00:21:12,479 --> 00:21:14,523
And he... it was very painful
for him to run.
570
00:21:14,606 --> 00:21:17,192
And sometimes we'd run
conditioning drills.
571
00:21:17,275 --> 00:21:19,194
He would cry.
572
00:21:19,278 --> 00:21:21,989
- I had something
called Osgood-Schlatter's.
573
00:21:22,072 --> 00:21:23,072
I was growing too fast,
574
00:21:23,115 --> 00:21:25,534
and my body and my knees
didn't keep up.
575
00:21:25,617 --> 00:21:26,886
- And I'd pull him aside
and say,
576
00:21:26,910 --> 00:21:28,346
"Hey, why don't you sit
this one out?"
577
00:21:28,370 --> 00:21:29,371
He said, "No, Coach.
578
00:21:29,454 --> 00:21:31,623
I'll do what everybody else
does."
579
00:21:31,707 --> 00:21:34,084
As a sophomore playing on a team
580
00:21:34,167 --> 00:21:36,962
laden with seniors
and a couple of juniors,
581
00:21:37,045 --> 00:21:39,381
he kind of got picked on
a little bit.
582
00:21:39,464 --> 00:21:41,216
We were in a game
up in Osterholz,
583
00:21:41,299 --> 00:21:43,343
which is way up
in northern Germany.
584
00:21:43,427 --> 00:21:45,053
He was open inside,
585
00:21:45,137 --> 00:21:46,763
and they were taking shots
586
00:21:46,847 --> 00:21:48,974
rather than kicking it down
inside to him.
587
00:21:49,057 --> 00:21:50,267
So I told them at halftime,
588
00:21:50,350 --> 00:21:52,453
"If you guys don't start
getting the ball inside to him,
589
00:21:52,477 --> 00:21:55,564
I'ma pull both you guys out
and you're gonna sit."
590
00:21:55,647 --> 00:21:58,984
I think that one of the things
that he appreciates
591
00:21:59,067 --> 00:22:00,527
is that I stood up for him.
592
00:22:02,112 --> 00:22:04,031
Playing high school ball
in Europe,
593
00:22:04,114 --> 00:22:09,286
our average road trip was
between four and five hours.
594
00:22:09,369 --> 00:22:10,871
When I think
about the relationship
595
00:22:10,954 --> 00:22:12,539
that I've had with Shaquille,
596
00:22:12,622 --> 00:22:16,376
it was all forged
on a bus to nowhere
597
00:22:16,460 --> 00:22:19,129
and talking
about what young kids
598
00:22:19,212 --> 00:22:21,465
hoped for and dreamed for,
599
00:22:21,548 --> 00:22:25,635
and, "How come our moms
and dads are so strict on us?"
600
00:22:25,719 --> 00:22:28,263
I was fortunate to be able,
maybe, to give him
601
00:22:28,346 --> 00:22:31,266
some perspective, you know,
during that time in his life
602
00:22:31,349 --> 00:22:33,935
when he was kind of forming
his own opinion
603
00:22:34,019 --> 00:22:36,605
about what he thought
about the world.
604
00:22:36,688 --> 00:22:37,898
So at the end of the year,
605
00:22:37,981 --> 00:22:41,026
we made it to
the small schools tournament.
606
00:22:41,109 --> 00:22:43,528
Unfortunately,
Shaquille's father,
607
00:22:43,612 --> 00:22:47,908
he was destined to be
transferred back to the States.
608
00:22:47,991 --> 00:22:50,077
So we got a call
that he was gonna be leaving.
609
00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:51,453
We looked at the calendar.
610
00:22:51,536 --> 00:22:53,580
We're not gonna have him
for the Elite Eight.
611
00:22:53,663 --> 00:22:54,974
He played
in those last two games.
612
00:22:54,998 --> 00:22:57,042
He played lights out.
613
00:22:57,125 --> 00:22:58,835
We're done,
we're in the locker room,
614
00:22:58,919 --> 00:23:00,504
I'm talking to the team,
615
00:23:00,587 --> 00:23:03,465
and Shaquille was leaning
over the counter to the sinks.
616
00:23:03,548 --> 00:23:05,360
And I noticed the sinks
were wet, and I thought,
617
00:23:05,384 --> 00:23:06,635
"Why is he washing his hands?
618
00:23:06,718 --> 00:23:08,478
"We... I mean, I guess
we just played a game.
619
00:23:08,553 --> 00:23:09,846
I don't know."
620
00:23:09,930 --> 00:23:13,141
And I quickly realized
that it wasn't water.
621
00:23:13,225 --> 00:23:15,352
He was crying.
622
00:23:15,435 --> 00:23:19,314
And I knew in that moment
623
00:23:19,397 --> 00:23:22,150
how difficult it was gonna be...
624
00:23:23,527 --> 00:23:24,796
I knew how difficult
it was gonna be
625
00:23:24,820 --> 00:23:26,446
for him to leave us.
626
00:23:26,530 --> 00:23:31,284
And he turned to me,
and he hugged me.
627
00:23:31,368 --> 00:23:33,662
And he said,
"Coach, I love you."
628
00:23:33,745 --> 00:23:35,705
And I said,
"I love you too, big guy."
629
00:23:36,206 --> 00:23:37,874
That's the last time I saw him
630
00:23:37,958 --> 00:23:40,627
until he was playing
for Coach Brown.
631
00:23:41,753 --> 00:23:44,131
- After my sophomore year,
we leave.
632
00:23:44,214 --> 00:23:46,675
Back in Jersey
and seeing family...
633
00:23:46,758 --> 00:23:49,052
"What's happening?" Boom, boom.
Lovin' and huggin'.
634
00:23:49,136 --> 00:23:50,804
We got the moving thing
on top of the car.
635
00:23:50,887 --> 00:23:52,347
I'm like,
"Yo, man, where we going?"
636
00:23:52,430 --> 00:23:54,182
"Shut your ass up
and get in the car."
637
00:23:54,266 --> 00:23:55,183
And we get in the car.
638
00:23:55,267 --> 00:23:58,270
And we drivin' and we drivin'.
639
00:23:58,353 --> 00:24:00,793
Now I'm starting to see stuff
I ain't seen in a while... cows.
640
00:24:00,856 --> 00:24:01,940
I'm like...
641
00:24:02,023 --> 00:24:04,526
And then I see,
"Welcome to Texas."
642
00:24:04,609 --> 00:24:06,820
I'm like, "Texas?"
643
00:24:06,903 --> 00:24:09,489
Cowboys?
644
00:24:09,573 --> 00:24:11,992
We moved to San Antonio, Texas.
645
00:24:12,075 --> 00:24:13,368
We arrive at the school.
646
00:24:13,451 --> 00:24:15,787
And I'm talking
to the principal,
647
00:24:15,871 --> 00:24:18,039
and I see this little kid
walking down the hall,
648
00:24:18,123 --> 00:24:20,333
and he comes in,
and, "This is Joe Cavallaro.
649
00:24:20,417 --> 00:24:22,252
He's gonna show you around."
650
00:24:22,335 --> 00:24:24,713
- I see Sergeant Harrison
and Shaquille standing there.
651
00:24:24,796 --> 00:24:26,006
Obviously a basketball player,
652
00:24:26,089 --> 00:24:27,441
so about time we get
some good talent
653
00:24:27,465 --> 00:24:28,592
for the basketball team.
654
00:24:28,675 --> 00:24:30,010
- He showed me around.
655
00:24:30,093 --> 00:24:31,195
And, "What about
the basketball team?"
656
00:24:31,219 --> 00:24:32,471
"We ain't really that good."
657
00:24:32,554 --> 00:24:34,389
"But I want to meet
some of the players."
658
00:24:34,472 --> 00:24:37,893
- Our graduating class in 1989
was 79 people.
659
00:24:37,976 --> 00:24:39,579
You couldn't go to the school
unless your parents
660
00:24:39,603 --> 00:24:40,729
were in the military
661
00:24:40,812 --> 00:24:43,565
or if you parents worked
at that school.
662
00:24:43,648 --> 00:24:45,734
- So because there's
not a lot of kids,
663
00:24:45,817 --> 00:24:47,194
I make the team.
664
00:24:47,277 --> 00:24:48,528
I'm a starter.
665
00:24:48,612 --> 00:24:51,489
- The high school years
was something very special
666
00:24:51,573 --> 00:24:54,034
because we were just coming
from Germany.
667
00:24:54,117 --> 00:24:56,036
And I remember
the coach said that,
668
00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:59,873
"I don't know if he can walk
and chew gum at the same time."
669
00:24:59,956 --> 00:25:02,709
We told him, "You may have
to just show them.
670
00:25:02,792 --> 00:25:05,629
Don't even tell them
how good you know you are."
671
00:25:05,712 --> 00:25:07,297
- Our team became
immediately dominant
672
00:25:07,380 --> 00:25:08,465
his junior year.
673
00:25:08,548 --> 00:25:10,050
- He began to get exposure
674
00:25:10,133 --> 00:25:12,052
all around the state of Texas.
675
00:25:12,135 --> 00:25:13,595
- My first article was
676
00:25:13,678 --> 00:25:15,847
"Cole's O'Neal
'best in the U.S.'"
677
00:25:15,931 --> 00:25:18,266
So 35-1, having a good year.
678
00:25:18,350 --> 00:25:21,394
Semifinals going
into the finals.
679
00:25:21,478 --> 00:25:22,729
Down by one.
680
00:25:22,812 --> 00:25:24,439
Shaquille O'Neal gets fouled,
681
00:25:24,522 --> 00:25:26,650
goes to the line, misses.
682
00:25:29,986 --> 00:25:32,197
- We got beat in the playoffs
683
00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:34,407
because he missed free throws.
684
00:25:34,491 --> 00:25:37,244
That stuck with him
and gave him the motivation
685
00:25:37,327 --> 00:25:38,638
to do what he did
his senior year,
686
00:25:38,662 --> 00:25:40,538
which was absolutely amazing.
687
00:25:44,668 --> 00:25:46,169
All right, Shaquille!
688
00:25:46,253 --> 00:25:47,629
- Senior in high school.
689
00:25:47,712 --> 00:25:49,297
Magic Johnson was my guy.
690
00:25:49,381 --> 00:25:51,258
So I'm smooth with the ball.
691
00:25:51,341 --> 00:25:52,341
Look-away pass.
692
00:25:52,384 --> 00:25:54,886
I cross this dude up
at half-court, ooh, ooh.
693
00:25:54,970 --> 00:25:57,639
I go to give a nasty
finger roll, and I miss.
694
00:25:57,722 --> 00:25:59,641
All of a sudden,
I see this big Black dude
695
00:25:59,724 --> 00:26:01,601
walking on the court
in his military fatigues.
696
00:26:01,685 --> 00:26:03,561
It's my father, the Sarge.
697
00:26:03,645 --> 00:26:05,313
He said, "Call a time-out."
698
00:26:05,397 --> 00:26:06,690
"Yes, sir."
699
00:26:06,773 --> 00:26:07,857
He said, "What you doing?"
700
00:26:07,941 --> 00:26:09,421
"Man, I'm just workin'
on my Magic"...
701
00:26:10,527 --> 00:26:11,611
"Fuck that."
702
00:26:15,115 --> 00:26:16,283
"Be Shaquille O'Neal."
703
00:26:18,868 --> 00:26:20,787
"Dunk it every fucking time."
704
00:26:23,290 --> 00:26:25,125
And the boys knew what happened.
705
00:26:25,208 --> 00:26:27,002
They knew the Sarge
done touched me up.
706
00:26:27,085 --> 00:26:28,461
- And I looked at him,
707
00:26:28,545 --> 00:26:29,546
and he was like,
708
00:26:29,629 --> 00:26:31,298
"Give me the goddamn ball."
709
00:26:31,381 --> 00:26:32,966
That's all you had to say, bro.
710
00:26:33,425 --> 00:26:35,343
- When I dunked,
I was so fuckin' mad,
711
00:26:35,427 --> 00:26:37,554
I wanted to break the rim off
for him.
712
00:26:39,347 --> 00:26:40,787
"Oh, this is what you want
me to do?"
713
00:26:42,434 --> 00:26:43,754
"This good enough
for you, Sarge?"
714
00:26:45,895 --> 00:26:47,314
Everybody's scared. Terrified.
715
00:26:47,397 --> 00:26:49,858
I'ma kill your ass out here.
716
00:26:49,941 --> 00:26:50,984
Monster.
717
00:26:51,067 --> 00:26:52,652
- That's the monster shit, bro.
718
00:26:52,736 --> 00:26:54,237
- He's 7 feet tall,
719
00:26:54,321 --> 00:26:55,841
one of the top five
high school players
720
00:26:55,905 --> 00:26:59,117
in the country,
and he just turned 17.
721
00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,996
Shaquille O'Neal,
averaging 47 points a game
722
00:27:03,079 --> 00:27:04,831
in the playoffs.
723
00:27:04,914 --> 00:27:06,267
- He started going up
against these kids
724
00:27:06,291 --> 00:27:07,751
and just doing
what he wanted to.
725
00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:12,630
We beat a team 121-35.
726
00:27:13,340 --> 00:27:15,300
By the end of the game,
the rims were like this...
727
00:27:27,645 --> 00:27:29,564
Sergeant Harrison saw it
before anybody.
728
00:27:31,524 --> 00:27:32,984
So I'm in the house one day,
729
00:27:33,068 --> 00:27:35,945
and my father comes in
and hits me with a paper again.
730
00:27:36,029 --> 00:27:37,155
"Look at this motherfucker."
731
00:27:37,238 --> 00:27:38,865
- The contact
with the left hand.
732
00:27:38,948 --> 00:27:40,533
- There was a guy
named Jon Koncak.
733
00:27:40,617 --> 00:27:42,494
- Takes it to the basket
and rattles it home.
734
00:27:42,577 --> 00:27:44,788
- He signed $15 million
for three.
735
00:27:44,871 --> 00:27:46,706
"Get your shit.
We gonna watch him play."
736
00:27:48,124 --> 00:27:49,964
- And I'm watching
this guy play, and I'm like,
737
00:27:50,043 --> 00:27:53,171
"Yo, if he gettin' $15 million
I can get $8 million."
738
00:27:53,254 --> 00:27:56,383
So now I got to stay focused.
Now I'm close.
739
00:27:56,466 --> 00:27:57,759
This article right here
that says
740
00:27:57,842 --> 00:27:59,761
"Cole's O'Neal
'best in the U.S.'"
741
00:27:59,844 --> 00:28:00,929
says that I'm close.
742
00:28:02,347 --> 00:28:04,432
- In today's classic,
Shaquille O'Neal,
743
00:28:04,516 --> 00:28:07,602
a 6'11" giant from San Antonio,
744
00:28:07,685 --> 00:28:09,979
will lead the West
against the East.
745
00:28:10,063 --> 00:28:13,525
It's the 12th annual
McDonald's All-American Game.
746
00:28:14,943 --> 00:28:15,860
- So growing up
in my high school,
747
00:28:15,944 --> 00:28:17,070
I loved Dick Vitale.
748
00:28:17,153 --> 00:28:19,906
- This is excitement.
This is absolutely bedlam.
749
00:28:19,989 --> 00:28:21,574
- Loved him.
750
00:28:21,658 --> 00:28:23,785
And I get
to the McDonald's game,
751
00:28:23,868 --> 00:28:25,620
and I was like,
"Hello, Mr. Vitale."
752
00:28:25,703 --> 00:28:29,791
And Mr. Vitale says,
"And you are?"
753
00:28:29,874 --> 00:28:31,960
I said,
"My name's Shaquille O'Neal."
754
00:28:32,043 --> 00:28:33,294
"Oh, you the big guy from Texas
755
00:28:33,378 --> 00:28:35,296
that played
against those small kids."
756
00:28:35,380 --> 00:28:36,673
Oh, my God.
757
00:28:36,756 --> 00:28:38,800
Now I'm fuckin' pissed.
758
00:28:38,883 --> 00:28:39,801
My mom always used to say,
759
00:28:39,884 --> 00:28:41,845
and it didn't make sense
till that day,
760
00:28:41,928 --> 00:28:44,305
"Baby, make 'em remember
your name."
761
00:28:44,389 --> 00:28:45,640
I already know what I'ma do.
762
00:28:45,723 --> 00:28:48,101
First time I touch the ball,
I'm taking it coast-to-coast.
763
00:28:49,018 --> 00:28:50,937
So I blocked
Conrad McRae's shot.
764
00:28:51,020 --> 00:28:52,939
- There's Shaquille
with another rejection.
765
00:28:53,022 --> 00:28:54,022
- Dribble.
766
00:28:54,065 --> 00:28:55,400
Take off on the free throw line.
767
00:28:55,483 --> 00:28:57,235
Dunk it. Boom.
768
00:28:57,318 --> 00:28:59,112
And then Dick Vitale screamed,
"Oh, my God."
769
00:28:59,195 --> 00:29:00,923
And I'm looking like, "Oh."
- I can't believe it!
770
00:29:00,947 --> 00:29:02,907
I can't believe it!
That's a seven-footer!
771
00:29:02,991 --> 00:29:04,451
Are you serious?
772
00:29:04,534 --> 00:29:06,453
- I'll tell you one thing,
this guy can play.
773
00:29:06,536 --> 00:29:09,205
Shaquille O'Neal
will be a star at LSU.
774
00:29:15,044 --> 00:29:17,046
- Now when I go to Baton Rouge,
775
00:29:17,130 --> 00:29:18,965
it's back to the bottom,
brother.
776
00:29:19,048 --> 00:29:20,216
They got Chris Jackson
777
00:29:20,300 --> 00:29:21,300
and Stanley Roberts.
778
00:29:21,342 --> 00:29:22,719
We don't know who you are.
779
00:29:22,802 --> 00:29:24,345
- I remember him asking
780
00:29:24,429 --> 00:29:26,514
who would start
and all that business.
781
00:29:26,598 --> 00:29:27,950
And I told him right up front,
but I said,
782
00:29:27,974 --> 00:29:31,227
"Shaquille, I have never told
a player he would start.
783
00:29:31,311 --> 00:29:33,563
That has to occur on the court.
784
00:29:33,646 --> 00:29:34,522
- You know, I go from averaging
785
00:29:34,606 --> 00:29:36,774
37 points to 6 points.
786
00:29:36,858 --> 00:29:39,152
So my whole freshman year,
I'm playing the game
787
00:29:39,235 --> 00:29:41,029
and I'm turning it over;
I'm fumbling.
788
00:29:41,112 --> 00:29:42,989
It's back to,
"You can't play."
789
00:29:43,072 --> 00:29:44,657
But, you know,
my father always told me,
790
00:29:44,741 --> 00:29:46,868
"If you stay consistent
at something,
791
00:29:46,951 --> 00:29:49,537
whatever you're looking
to accomplish, it will happen."
792
00:29:49,621 --> 00:29:52,790
- I don't think I've ever seen
a player consistently
793
00:29:52,874 --> 00:29:55,418
get better and better
and better and better.
794
00:29:55,502 --> 00:29:57,378
There was no question,
795
00:29:57,462 --> 00:30:00,423
not one doubt in my mind,
he was gonna be a superstar.
796
00:30:01,132 --> 00:30:03,593
- Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf,
aka Chris Jackson,
797
00:30:03,676 --> 00:30:06,763
doesn't know this,
but I used to follow him.
798
00:30:06,846 --> 00:30:08,264
I knew he used to work out
at night,
799
00:30:08,348 --> 00:30:10,225
but nobody was allowed
to go in there.
800
00:30:10,308 --> 00:30:11,726
So I broke in there.
801
00:30:11,809 --> 00:30:13,770
And he was talking to himself.
"Shoot."
802
00:30:13,853 --> 00:30:15,772
And it seemed
like he wasn't missing.
803
00:30:15,855 --> 00:30:18,233
So I'm like, "Okay,
if this what he's doing
804
00:30:18,316 --> 00:30:20,193
to be great, I'ma do it."
805
00:30:20,276 --> 00:30:21,295
"Oh, Patrick, you want to try
to guard Shaquille?"
806
00:30:21,319 --> 00:30:23,029
"Oh, Shaquille"...
Like, and I would...
807
00:30:23,112 --> 00:30:25,198
I was trying to imagine that.
808
00:30:25,281 --> 00:30:27,075
So guess what happened
my sophomore year.
809
00:30:27,575 --> 00:30:29,911
Mr. Stanley Roberts
flunks out.
810
00:30:30,954 --> 00:30:32,080
Here's my shot.
811
00:30:33,164 --> 00:30:34,600
And I come in
first time I got the ball
812
00:30:34,624 --> 00:30:35,750
and dunked it.
813
00:30:37,335 --> 00:30:38,586
I'm like...
814
00:30:38,670 --> 00:30:40,964
- Flips it to O'Neal
and slams it in.
815
00:30:41,047 --> 00:30:42,382
- Shaquille,
and then I'm like...
816
00:30:42,465 --> 00:30:44,634
- I'd say Shaq took it
to the rack.
817
00:30:44,717 --> 00:30:45,986
- Like, man, this is
what I've been dreaming about
818
00:30:46,010 --> 00:30:46,928
all my life.
819
00:30:47,011 --> 00:30:49,305
- 7'1", nearly 300 pounds,
820
00:30:49,389 --> 00:30:51,933
yet only weeks
beyond his 19th birthday,
821
00:30:52,016 --> 00:30:54,769
LSU sophomore Shaquille O'Neal
is already being heralded
822
00:30:54,852 --> 00:30:57,522
as one of the top centers
in the universe.
823
00:30:57,605 --> 00:31:00,650
- My sophomore year, I led
the conference in everything.
824
00:31:00,733 --> 00:31:03,069
And I always knew
from a youngster,
825
00:31:03,152 --> 00:31:05,280
take advantage of opportunities.
826
00:31:05,363 --> 00:31:07,240
- Great steal.
O'Neal, slam dunk!
827
00:31:07,323 --> 00:31:08,783
Oh, my goodness.
828
00:31:08,866 --> 00:31:11,244
- Sophomore year,
I wanted to go pro.
829
00:31:11,327 --> 00:31:13,079
My father said,
"We've been broke
830
00:31:13,162 --> 00:31:14,414
"17 years of your life.
831
00:31:14,497 --> 00:31:15,957
We can be broke for 18."
832
00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:18,126
- When he first went
to school, everything was
833
00:31:18,209 --> 00:31:19,752
go to school, get education.
834
00:31:19,836 --> 00:31:20,920
Now that Shaquille's
835
00:31:21,004 --> 00:31:22,797
a fairly good basketball player,
836
00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:23,798
everybody's now saying,
837
00:31:23,881 --> 00:31:26,551
"Dump school
and go to the NBA."
838
00:31:26,634 --> 00:31:29,804
- He probably knew, too,
that he was that good.
839
00:31:29,887 --> 00:31:32,140
And I remember sitting him down
840
00:31:32,223 --> 00:31:34,976
and said, "It's gonna be
different from now on."
841
00:31:35,059 --> 00:31:36,519
- Why? I don't understand that.
842
00:31:36,603 --> 00:31:38,521
'Cause of the money?
Money isn't everything.
843
00:31:38,605 --> 00:31:40,607
'Cause of the publicity?
That's not everything.
844
00:31:40,690 --> 00:31:42,150
- I know it's gonna be
an argument,
845
00:31:42,233 --> 00:31:43,526
'cause he's like, "Nope.
846
00:31:43,610 --> 00:31:45,820
"You ain't doing shit
until you get a degree.
847
00:31:45,903 --> 00:31:47,280
"I don't give a shit
what you say.
848
00:31:47,363 --> 00:31:48,841
"I don't care how much money
they're offering you.
849
00:31:48,865 --> 00:31:50,116
You ain't doing nothing."
850
00:31:50,199 --> 00:31:52,785
- If he goes the NBA and can't
do what they expect him to do,
851
00:31:52,869 --> 00:31:53,953
where's he gonna be at?
852
00:31:54,037 --> 00:31:56,205
- I go... I said,
"I want to go pro."
853
00:31:56,289 --> 00:31:57,498
He's going, "Motherfucker,
854
00:31:57,582 --> 00:31:58,767
"da, da, da, da, da, da, da,
da, da, da, da.
855
00:31:58,791 --> 00:32:00,001
Get out of my face!"
856
00:32:00,084 --> 00:32:02,170
So my mom said,
"Come with me, baby."
857
00:32:02,253 --> 00:32:04,756
And my mom said,
"Balance this checkbook."
858
00:32:04,839 --> 00:32:07,175
I didn't know
what the fuck I was doing.
859
00:32:07,258 --> 00:32:08,676
Mom said,
"You not ready, baby."
860
00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:10,613
- He decided that he wanted
to go back to school
861
00:32:10,637 --> 00:32:12,597
for at least another year or so.
862
00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:15,391
- "This conversation over."
"Yes, ma'am."
863
00:32:17,143 --> 00:32:19,020
- At that time,
I made it my point
864
00:32:19,103 --> 00:32:20,021
just to help him.
865
00:32:20,104 --> 00:32:21,981
If he needed me, I was there.
866
00:32:22,065 --> 00:32:24,984
He had that dream, "I'm gonna
be professional one day."
867
00:32:25,068 --> 00:32:28,488
We would not pay bills
and get in the car on a Friday
868
00:32:28,571 --> 00:32:31,032
and drive to Louisiana
869
00:32:31,115 --> 00:32:32,659
just to spend
the weekend with him
870
00:32:32,742 --> 00:32:36,496
so that we could be with him
and keep him encouraged.
871
00:32:36,579 --> 00:32:38,831
"You a big man.
You stand tall.
872
00:32:38,915 --> 00:32:40,333
You don't let
anybody move you."
873
00:32:40,416 --> 00:32:42,710
- And it's a 10-point lead.
874
00:32:45,129 --> 00:32:47,423
One-handed catch by Shaquille.
875
00:32:47,507 --> 00:32:48,651
Got his own rebound.
876
00:32:48,675 --> 00:32:50,218
And that'll count.
877
00:32:50,301 --> 00:32:52,970
And a foul as O'Neal will step
to the free throw line.
878
00:32:53,054 --> 00:32:54,722
- People had to compete
against me
879
00:32:54,806 --> 00:32:56,474
because of my size.
880
00:32:56,557 --> 00:32:58,559
They felt they had to get
super physical.
881
00:32:58,643 --> 00:33:01,270
Well, guess what.
I got ass-whuppings every day.
882
00:33:01,354 --> 00:33:02,438
You're not hurting me.
883
00:33:02,522 --> 00:33:03,749
It's just making me more angry.
884
00:33:03,773 --> 00:33:05,191
And a foul.
885
00:33:05,274 --> 00:33:07,026
- Oh! How good is that?
886
00:33:07,110 --> 00:33:09,362
- Also showed me
a sign of respect.
887
00:33:09,445 --> 00:33:11,406
"I can't stop you, man.
I'm sorry. I fouled him."
888
00:33:11,489 --> 00:33:13,074
- You think
this big guy is good?
889
00:33:13,157 --> 00:33:15,368
Watch this. He's gonna
get hammered right here,
890
00:33:15,451 --> 00:33:18,705
get fouled, still get it up
with his strength, get it in,
891
00:33:18,788 --> 00:33:19,914
and count it.
892
00:33:19,997 --> 00:33:22,667
- I had called the SCC
numerous times and told them
893
00:33:22,750 --> 00:33:25,837
that the referees have to stop
these flagrant fouls.
894
00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:27,755
- Tapped in...
- "They can't stop him,
895
00:33:27,839 --> 00:33:28,756
"so they foul him,
896
00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:30,425
"knowing he's
a poor free throw shooter.
897
00:33:30,508 --> 00:33:32,468
"Shaquille's gonna be
seriously hurt.
898
00:33:32,552 --> 00:33:33,970
It could cost him his career."
899
00:33:34,053 --> 00:33:35,322
They're gonna get shots.
900
00:33:35,346 --> 00:33:37,557
O'Neal is fouled by Groves
as he made
901
00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,642
a strong move to the basket.
902
00:33:39,726 --> 00:33:41,310
Strong being a bit
of an understatement
903
00:33:41,394 --> 00:33:42,562
in that case.
904
00:33:42,645 --> 00:33:44,647
- When we go
to the SCC tournament,
905
00:33:44,731 --> 00:33:45,898
third time this happened
906
00:33:45,982 --> 00:33:47,191
by this player from Tennessee.
907
00:33:47,275 --> 00:33:48,995
- Won four in a row,
lost a heartbreaking...
908
00:33:50,278 --> 00:33:51,904
Uh-oh, look out.
909
00:33:51,988 --> 00:33:53,573
Groves and O'Neal square off.
910
00:33:53,656 --> 00:33:55,575
And Dale Brown
is pushing Groves.
911
00:33:55,658 --> 00:33:57,243
- And I see Shaquille's knee
going out
912
00:33:57,326 --> 00:33:58,745
and a fight breaking out,
913
00:33:58,828 --> 00:34:00,079
so I go out on the court
914
00:34:00,163 --> 00:34:03,082
and get in a confrontation
with the guy doing it.
915
00:34:03,166 --> 00:34:05,126
- That's why I love that man.
916
00:34:05,209 --> 00:34:07,170
He was right there next to me.
917
00:34:07,754 --> 00:34:09,422
The reason why I swung
on Carlus Groves,
918
00:34:09,505 --> 00:34:10,631
because in my mind,
919
00:34:10,715 --> 00:34:12,800
this dude's trying
to mess my money up.
920
00:34:12,884 --> 00:34:14,635
And I wanted to send a message
to anybody
921
00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:16,012
that try to mess my money up,
922
00:34:16,095 --> 00:34:18,306
this is what's gonna happen
to you.
923
00:34:18,389 --> 00:34:20,391
- Sadly as I hate to say this,
924
00:34:20,475 --> 00:34:22,351
I'm recommending
to Shaquille's parents
925
00:34:22,435 --> 00:34:23,811
that he turns NBA.
926
00:34:23,895 --> 00:34:25,855
I do not want to see
this young man
927
00:34:25,938 --> 00:34:28,107
blatantly fouled and hurt
928
00:34:28,191 --> 00:34:31,486
and then, because
of my selfishness to win,
929
00:34:31,569 --> 00:34:32,862
he doesn't play pro ball.
930
00:34:32,945 --> 00:34:34,113
If he's going to get hurt
931
00:34:34,197 --> 00:34:35,716
and people are going
to intentionally foul him
932
00:34:35,740 --> 00:34:37,617
for the 18th time,
933
00:34:37,700 --> 00:34:39,410
he needs to go get money
to get hurt.
934
00:34:39,494 --> 00:34:41,454
- He's no ordinary 19-year-old.
935
00:34:41,537 --> 00:34:45,666
Standing 7'1"
and weighing in at 285 pounds,
936
00:34:45,750 --> 00:34:48,294
his amazing speed
and spectacular skills
937
00:34:48,377 --> 00:34:51,005
have made him, without doubt,
the most sought-after
938
00:34:51,088 --> 00:34:53,424
collegiate basketball player
in the nation.
939
00:34:53,508 --> 00:34:55,593
- Junior year. Dominated.
940
00:34:55,676 --> 00:34:57,428
Dick Vitale's still screaming
my name.
941
00:34:57,512 --> 00:34:58,846
- Shaquille O'Neal!
942
00:34:58,930 --> 00:35:00,223
- Go home, same argument.
943
00:35:00,306 --> 00:35:02,016
But it's the first time
I stand up to him.
944
00:35:02,099 --> 00:35:03,768
"Man, fuck that.
945
00:35:03,851 --> 00:35:06,521
They fuckin' me up in school.
I'm going."
946
00:35:06,604 --> 00:35:07,604
And it was the first time
947
00:35:07,647 --> 00:35:08,999
he looked back at me
and was like...
948
00:35:09,023 --> 00:35:11,150
He realized
that he created a man.
949
00:35:11,234 --> 00:35:13,212
And then Mom says, "You know
what I'm gonna ask you to do.
950
00:35:13,236 --> 00:35:14,654
Pull it out."
951
00:35:14,737 --> 00:35:15,737
My shit was neat.
952
00:35:15,780 --> 00:35:18,950
Debits, credits, boom, boom,
bada-bam, bada-bing.
953
00:35:19,033 --> 00:35:20,409
And she said,
"Okay, you ready."
954
00:35:30,586 --> 00:35:32,880
- When you have a dream
come alive,
955
00:35:32,964 --> 00:35:36,175
it's just a blessing
instead of hard work.
956
00:35:38,302 --> 00:35:40,596
He told me I was never
gonna have to worry.
957
00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:41,990
"You won't have to worry
about anything.
958
00:35:42,014 --> 00:35:43,617
You gonna be able to get
anything that you want."
959
00:35:43,641 --> 00:35:46,018
And I said,
"Okay, okay. That's fine."
960
00:35:46,853 --> 00:35:49,355
It's good.
It's good for all of us.
961
00:35:49,438 --> 00:35:51,023
- Good afternoon.
The mic's on?
962
00:35:53,276 --> 00:35:55,444
Good afternoon.
Thank you all for coming.
963
00:35:55,528 --> 00:35:57,363
About to make my statement.
964
00:35:57,446 --> 00:35:59,866
I, Shaquille O'Neal,
after careful deliberation,
965
00:35:59,949 --> 00:36:02,910
have decided to forgo
my senior year eligibility
966
00:36:02,994 --> 00:36:04,161
at LSU.
967
00:36:04,245 --> 00:36:07,123
I'm not making this decision
out of anger or frustration.
968
00:36:07,206 --> 00:36:09,375
I feel that in my heart,
it's time for a change
969
00:36:09,458 --> 00:36:11,711
and it's time for me to move on.
970
00:36:11,794 --> 00:36:14,046
I've truly enjoyed every aspect
of my college years
971
00:36:14,130 --> 00:36:17,008
as a basketball player
and as a student.
972
00:36:17,091 --> 00:36:19,468
I think the experience
was very much needed.
973
00:36:19,552 --> 00:36:21,387
But now I am ready to take
what I've learned
974
00:36:21,470 --> 00:36:22,930
on with me to the NBA.
975
00:36:23,014 --> 00:36:25,266
And I'd like to thank
you people for coming
976
00:36:25,349 --> 00:36:26,976
and thank you for the awards,
977
00:36:27,059 --> 00:36:28,370
and, you know, thank you
for everything.
978
00:36:28,394 --> 00:36:31,230
And thank you for listening.
Peace.
979
00:36:31,314 --> 00:36:33,065
Any questions?
980
00:36:34,483 --> 00:36:36,461
- Always been our dream
to see him play in the NBA.
981
00:36:36,485 --> 00:36:38,946
My dream, you know.
982
00:36:39,030 --> 00:36:39,947
Because I wanted to play,
983
00:36:40,031 --> 00:36:41,073
that's what he playin' in.
984
00:36:41,157 --> 00:36:42,575
Now my son is gonna play in it.
985
00:36:42,658 --> 00:36:44,076
It makes me feel
a whole lot better
986
00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:47,079
knowing that my son is able
to go farther than what I went,
987
00:36:47,163 --> 00:36:48,456
you know?
988
00:36:48,539 --> 00:36:49,808
That's the main...
That's what it's all about,
989
00:36:49,832 --> 00:36:51,310
you know what I mean,
your children going farther
990
00:36:51,334 --> 00:36:52,919
that what you went
and doing better
991
00:36:53,002 --> 00:36:54,229
than what you're gonna be doing.
992
00:36:54,253 --> 00:36:55,713
- All right.
See you later, guy.
993
00:36:57,715 --> 00:36:58,966
- I was elated for the family,
994
00:36:59,050 --> 00:37:01,969
because, you know, a superstar,
995
00:37:02,053 --> 00:37:04,805
and they drive up
in this old van.
996
00:37:04,889 --> 00:37:07,642
So I knew it was
a pivotal thing financially.
997
00:37:08,893 --> 00:37:11,020
He was gonna help take care
of the family.
998
00:37:14,023 --> 00:37:15,858
- Well, Shaquille,
this is it, bro.
999
00:37:16,567 --> 00:37:18,569
- We're going to work.
- Time to go to work, huh?
1000
00:37:20,196 --> 00:37:21,280
- Good evening,
1001
00:37:21,364 --> 00:37:22,364
ladies and gentlemen,
1002
00:37:22,406 --> 00:37:25,159
and welcome
to the 1992 NBA Draft.
1003
00:37:27,036 --> 00:37:28,829
- Draft night was special.
1004
00:37:28,913 --> 00:37:31,290
My grandmother was there.
My mother was there.
1005
00:37:31,374 --> 00:37:33,834
Brother, sisters,
aunts, uncles, friends.
1006
00:37:33,918 --> 00:37:35,838
And then when they called
my name, it was like...
1007
00:37:35,878 --> 00:37:39,674
- With the first pick
in the 1992 NBA Draft,
1008
00:37:39,757 --> 00:37:43,135
the Orlando Magic
selects Shaquille O'Neal
1009
00:37:43,219 --> 00:37:45,179
from Louisiana State University.
1010
00:37:47,598 --> 00:37:49,266
- Who, me?
1011
00:37:49,350 --> 00:37:53,020
I wanted to cry inside,
but being raised by the Sarge,
1012
00:37:53,104 --> 00:37:54,772
you're not allowed
to be emotional.
1013
00:37:54,855 --> 00:37:56,148
You're not allowed to be soft.
1014
00:37:59,110 --> 00:38:03,823
But in my mind,
"I'm here. I'm here.
1015
00:38:05,408 --> 00:38:08,452
"All the ass-whuppings,
1016
00:38:08,536 --> 00:38:12,123
"all the doubters,
1017
00:38:12,206 --> 00:38:13,416
I'm here."
1018
00:38:15,334 --> 00:38:16,794
- Well, along with Jack Givens,
1019
00:38:16,877 --> 00:38:18,879
this is Chip Caray
welcoming you tonight,
1020
00:38:18,963 --> 00:38:21,424
the debut of perhaps
the most heralded rookie
1021
00:38:21,507 --> 00:38:26,053
in the NBA in quite some time,
number 32, Shaquille O'Neal.
1022
00:38:26,137 --> 00:38:29,265
The Magic and Miami Heat
archrivals battling it out.
1023
00:38:29,348 --> 00:38:31,559
And the opening tap
goes to Miami.
1024
00:38:31,642 --> 00:38:34,979
And the Shaquille O'Neal era
has begun in the NBA.
1025
00:38:35,062 --> 00:38:36,522
- So now you're in the NBA.
1026
00:38:36,605 --> 00:38:39,150
All the guys you used to see
and then dream about
1027
00:38:39,233 --> 00:38:40,526
and look at and drool over,
1028
00:38:40,609 --> 00:38:42,153
they're here now.
1029
00:38:42,236 --> 00:38:44,405
So I'm like, "You ain't
where Hakeem at yet."
1030
00:38:46,449 --> 00:38:47,867
"You ain't
where David Robinson at."
1031
00:38:47,950 --> 00:38:49,469
- Shaquille O'Neal
is not used to this.
1032
00:38:49,493 --> 00:38:50,870
- "And you ain't
where Ewing at."
1033
00:38:50,953 --> 00:38:52,204
- Ewing with the spin.
1034
00:38:52,288 --> 00:38:53,706
Ewing... yes!
1035
00:38:53,789 --> 00:38:56,167
- I wanted to be that guy.
1036
00:38:56,250 --> 00:38:58,127
I wanted what Magic had.
1037
00:38:58,210 --> 00:38:59,420
I wanted what Dr. J had.
1038
00:38:59,503 --> 00:39:01,589
I wanted
what Michael Jordan had.
1039
00:39:01,672 --> 00:39:04,008
Michael had all of that.
And I wanted that.
1040
00:39:04,675 --> 00:39:06,093
How does he do it?
1041
00:39:06,177 --> 00:39:08,763
Michael Jordan. Ferocity.
1042
00:39:08,846 --> 00:39:10,097
Wanted to be the best ever.
1043
00:39:10,181 --> 00:39:13,601
When he gets fouled hard,
he's not shakin' nobody hand.
1044
00:39:13,684 --> 00:39:15,724
Like, I fouled him one time
and went to pick him up.
1045
00:39:15,770 --> 00:39:17,313
He said, "Don't do that.
1046
00:39:17,396 --> 00:39:20,191
"Don't ever help nobody up.
Good foul."
1047
00:39:20,274 --> 00:39:22,735
I was like, "Damn."
1048
00:39:22,818 --> 00:39:24,129
- And look at that pass.
- Oh, they stole it!
1049
00:39:24,153 --> 00:39:26,030
- Stolen by Scott.
1050
00:39:26,113 --> 00:39:27,573
- Well, obviously, Shaq came in
1051
00:39:27,656 --> 00:39:29,241
with all the hype.
1052
00:39:29,325 --> 00:39:31,077
He didn't win a championship.
1053
00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:33,746
He never made
that miraculous Final Four run.
1054
00:39:35,122 --> 00:39:36,290
But his dominance...
1055
00:39:36,373 --> 00:39:38,459
Oh!
1056
00:39:38,542 --> 00:39:41,295
- He would shoot
72% from the floor,
1057
00:39:41,378 --> 00:39:42,630
and people was like,
1058
00:39:42,713 --> 00:39:44,153
"Well, he doesn't have
a free throw,"
1059
00:39:44,215 --> 00:39:45,466
or, "He doesn't shoot three."
1060
00:39:45,549 --> 00:39:46,801
Why would you?
1061
00:39:46,884 --> 00:39:49,970
Let the locomotive
keep coming down the track.
1062
00:39:50,054 --> 00:39:53,265
Until they figure out a way
to stop it, keep going.
1063
00:39:53,349 --> 00:39:55,768
And I think that's the presence
1064
00:39:55,851 --> 00:39:58,979
Shaq brought into the NBA
as a rookie.
1065
00:39:59,438 --> 00:40:02,108
- So when you lookin'
at a god on TV
1066
00:40:02,191 --> 00:40:03,627
but then when you see him
in real life
1067
00:40:03,651 --> 00:40:05,945
and you realize he's not a god,
1068
00:40:06,028 --> 00:40:08,239
now that so-called god
is in trouble.
1069
00:40:09,865 --> 00:40:12,701
- Shaq for two over Olajuwon.
1070
00:40:12,785 --> 00:40:15,287
- Sets up O'Neal. Oh, my.
1071
00:40:15,371 --> 00:40:18,749
And then lets the crowd know,
"I'm here."
1072
00:40:18,833 --> 00:40:21,585
- The first time Patrick Ewing
shot a fadeaway jump shot
1073
00:40:21,669 --> 00:40:22,795
and I'm right there.
1074
00:40:24,130 --> 00:40:26,006
- Ewing.
- Ooh.
1075
00:40:26,090 --> 00:40:27,842
I think I can block that.
1076
00:40:27,925 --> 00:40:29,802
So now next time,
should get a little closer
1077
00:40:29,885 --> 00:40:31,262
when he get on that fadeaway.
1078
00:40:31,345 --> 00:40:33,514
My father said,
"You show a person respect
1079
00:40:33,597 --> 00:40:34,598
"by showing them none.
1080
00:40:34,682 --> 00:40:36,322
"I don't give a damn
that's Patrick Ewing.
1081
00:40:36,392 --> 00:40:37,393
You Shaquille O'Neal."
1082
00:40:37,476 --> 00:40:39,562
- Way of operating offensively.
1083
00:40:39,645 --> 00:40:41,522
Ewing rejected by O'Neal.
1084
00:40:41,605 --> 00:40:42,731
- Yes, sir.
1085
00:40:42,815 --> 00:40:44,876
- Boy, that... when does that
happen to Patrick Ewing?
1086
00:40:44,900 --> 00:40:46,360
Maybe... I don't remember.
1087
00:40:46,443 --> 00:40:47,987
- Uh-oh.
1088
00:40:48,070 --> 00:40:50,739
Your ass is in trouble.
1089
00:40:50,823 --> 00:40:51,740
- We're gonna just stand up
1090
00:40:51,824 --> 00:40:52,884
and throw to the commercial.
- Okay.
1091
00:40:52,908 --> 00:40:54,160
- Standing up.
1092
00:40:54,243 --> 00:40:55,327
So does your mic...
1093
00:40:55,411 --> 00:40:56,829
I don't think
your mic does that...
1094
00:40:56,912 --> 00:40:58,539
Stretches that far.
1095
00:40:58,622 --> 00:41:00,958
Here, hold on.
1096
00:41:01,041 --> 00:41:02,293
Okay.
1097
00:41:04,128 --> 00:41:05,171
We'll be back in a moment.
1098
00:41:05,254 --> 00:41:06,463
But first...
1099
00:41:07,464 --> 00:41:09,383
I told you what to say.
- Oh, I forgot.
1100
00:41:09,466 --> 00:41:12,720
Come here, come here.
1101
00:41:12,803 --> 00:41:15,222
- Yeah. Sorry.
1102
00:41:15,306 --> 00:41:18,851
- Go ahead.
- This is "Today" on NBC.
1103
00:41:18,934 --> 00:41:21,812
One of my superpowers is,
I can stop time.
1104
00:41:21,896 --> 00:41:24,356
And what I mean by that is,
I can foresee stuff
1105
00:41:24,440 --> 00:41:25,858
before it happens.
1106
00:41:25,941 --> 00:41:28,068
So I had a professor,
Tommy Karam.
1107
00:41:28,152 --> 00:41:29,296
He pulled me to the side
and said,
1108
00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:31,363
"Why you don't never
want to speak up in the class?"
1109
00:41:31,447 --> 00:41:34,200
"'Cause when I g-g-et nervous,
I stutter."
1110
00:41:34,283 --> 00:41:36,327
Profess-professional athlete.
1111
00:41:38,245 --> 00:41:40,539
So then we used to set up
fake interviews.
1112
00:41:40,623 --> 00:41:42,583
He used to come in
with a little VHS camera,
1113
00:41:42,666 --> 00:41:44,043
ask me a question,
1114
00:41:44,126 --> 00:41:45,753
and then we'd stop
and go over it.
1115
00:41:45,836 --> 00:41:47,796
So now I'm practicing at home
by myself.
1116
00:41:50,841 --> 00:41:52,760
Click. Watch.
1117
00:41:52,843 --> 00:41:54,487
"Don't come in
like you're superintelligent,
1118
00:41:54,511 --> 00:41:55,679
"'cause you're not.
1119
00:41:55,763 --> 00:41:56,764
"Move that out the way.
1120
00:41:56,847 --> 00:41:58,098
"Funny.
1121
00:41:58,182 --> 00:41:59,642
"Let them know you're cool.
1122
00:41:59,725 --> 00:42:02,144
Be confident. Be humble."
1123
00:42:02,228 --> 00:42:04,104
All right. Play.
1124
00:42:04,188 --> 00:42:06,023
And then he said the words
I needed to hear.
1125
00:42:06,106 --> 00:42:07,650
He said,
"When you talkin' to that,
1126
00:42:07,733 --> 00:42:09,443
that's just more money
in your pocket."
1127
00:42:09,527 --> 00:42:10,611
Stop.
1128
00:42:10,694 --> 00:42:12,238
I think I'm... Orlando...
1129
00:42:12,321 --> 00:42:13,739
S-H-A...
1130
00:42:13,822 --> 00:42:14,907
Mickey Mouse.
1131
00:42:14,990 --> 00:42:16,408
Q-I-E...
1132
00:42:16,492 --> 00:42:18,452
Let me see that hat.
1133
00:42:24,041 --> 00:42:25,751
You gotta do interviews.
1134
00:42:25,834 --> 00:42:27,044
People are gonna love you.
1135
00:42:27,127 --> 00:42:29,129
You gonna make so much money
on the side.
1136
00:42:29,213 --> 00:42:30,213
I played all sports.
1137
00:42:30,256 --> 00:42:31,336
- Uh-huh.
- I played soccer.
1138
00:42:31,382 --> 00:42:33,151
- Were you good at soccer?
- I used to kick people.
1139
00:42:33,175 --> 00:42:35,719
Yeah.
1140
00:42:35,803 --> 00:42:37,523
- I'm not sure
that's the point of the game.
1141
00:42:38,264 --> 00:42:40,975
Ah. Ah, well.
1142
00:42:50,693 --> 00:42:52,486
Coming into the NBA,
I didn't want to be
1143
00:42:52,569 --> 00:42:53,946
a boring big man.
1144
00:42:54,029 --> 00:42:56,282
Big guys don't sell.
I'm not in that category.
1145
00:42:56,365 --> 00:42:58,200
I'm over here in this category.
1146
00:42:58,284 --> 00:43:00,327
So I call Arsenio, and I say,
"Hey, man.
1147
00:43:00,411 --> 00:43:02,705
I want to be on your show,
but I want to be different."
1148
00:43:02,788 --> 00:43:03,998
"What do you mean, brother?"
1149
00:43:04,081 --> 00:43:05,416
I say, "At the end of the show,
1150
00:43:05,499 --> 00:43:07,668
can I rap
with my favorite rap group?"
1151
00:43:07,751 --> 00:43:10,004
Making his TV debut...
1152
00:43:10,087 --> 00:43:13,299
Performing "What's Up Doc?"
with his friends,
1153
00:43:13,382 --> 00:43:15,509
who happen to be
the fastest-rising rap group
1154
00:43:15,592 --> 00:43:19,179
on the charts, Shaquille O'Neal
and Fu-Schnickens.
1155
00:43:19,263 --> 00:43:21,063
- I didn't even know
Fu-Shnickens at the time.
1156
00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:25,686
- We practiced the song
once or twice,
1157
00:43:25,769 --> 00:43:27,187
and then when the show came,
1158
00:43:27,271 --> 00:43:28,355
I killed it.
1159
00:43:32,234 --> 00:43:33,736
- They went on and performed.
1160
00:43:33,819 --> 00:43:35,505
Next thing you know,
they did a music video,
1161
00:43:35,529 --> 00:43:36,529
"What's Up, Doc?"
1162
00:43:36,572 --> 00:43:38,198
I get a call from Barry Weiss,
1163
00:43:38,282 --> 00:43:39,658
the CEO of Jive Records.
1164
00:43:39,742 --> 00:43:42,119
He says, "I want to sign Shaq
to a record deal."
1165
00:43:42,202 --> 00:43:43,388
- Said, "Man,
I ain't no rapper."
1166
00:43:43,412 --> 00:43:44,788
"$10 million."
1167
00:43:44,872 --> 00:43:45,914
"What?"
1168
00:43:50,377 --> 00:43:51,253
- What a rebound.
1169
00:43:51,337 --> 00:43:53,047
He has gone after it
with a vengeance.
1170
00:43:53,130 --> 00:43:54,631
No look-see, Dennis Scott.
1171
00:44:00,471 --> 00:44:02,514
- O'Neal sliding...
1172
00:44:09,980 --> 00:44:10,999
- Goes to Reed. Driving shot.
1173
00:44:11,023 --> 00:44:13,192
Blocked by O'Neal out-of-bounds.
1174
00:44:15,444 --> 00:44:17,821
- That's the kind of rebound
the Magic want from O'Neal.
1175
00:44:17,905 --> 00:44:18,905
For Shaquille.
1176
00:44:22,618 --> 00:44:25,037
- I would like to present
to Shaquille O'Neal
1177
00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:27,456
the Most Valuable
Rookie of the Year award.
1178
00:44:29,124 --> 00:44:30,376
- Another trophy for me,
1179
00:44:30,459 --> 00:44:33,379
and I hope I can get
an NBA Championship trophy
1180
00:44:33,462 --> 00:44:34,588
to go along with it.
1181
00:44:34,672 --> 00:44:36,298
When I retire and have children,
1182
00:44:36,382 --> 00:44:40,010
I can tell my son,
"Son, I was bad."
1183
00:44:43,847 --> 00:44:45,766
So my agent knew
a lot of people.
1184
00:44:45,849 --> 00:44:47,810
He says, "They want you
to play in this movie."
1185
00:44:47,893 --> 00:44:50,104
"I don't care if the movie's
terrible or not.
1186
00:44:50,187 --> 00:44:52,106
I'm not turning it down."
1187
00:44:52,189 --> 00:44:54,608
Before we start shooting,
I gotta work out.
1188
00:44:54,692 --> 00:44:57,403
So we're running a play,
and they're stealing clips.
1189
00:44:57,486 --> 00:44:59,321
And then this Penny guy is...
1190
00:44:59,405 --> 00:45:01,073
That dude dropped me off nice.
1191
00:45:02,950 --> 00:45:05,411
- And to Hardaway for the jam.
1192
00:45:05,494 --> 00:45:07,162
- To me, I had a game plan.
1193
00:45:07,246 --> 00:45:08,914
Because what I wanted him
to know was that
1194
00:45:08,997 --> 00:45:10,582
if I got drafted by the Magic
1195
00:45:10,666 --> 00:45:11,810
that I would be giving him
the ball
1196
00:45:11,834 --> 00:45:12,751
and putting him in position
1197
00:45:12,835 --> 00:45:14,128
to be the best that he could be.
1198
00:45:14,211 --> 00:45:15,671
So everything that I did
was catered
1199
00:45:15,754 --> 00:45:17,214
towards making Shaq happy.
1200
00:45:17,297 --> 00:45:19,675
- I asked him one day, I said,
"How long you been an actor?"
1201
00:45:19,758 --> 00:45:21,361
He said, "No, no. I'm from...
I'm Penny Hardaway.
1202
00:45:21,385 --> 00:45:22,302
"I went to Memphis State
1203
00:45:22,386 --> 00:45:23,846
and I put my name
in the draft."
1204
00:45:23,929 --> 00:45:25,639
"You did what?"
1205
00:45:25,722 --> 00:45:28,142
I can remember Dennis Scott,
my best friend on the team,
1206
00:45:28,225 --> 00:45:30,578
telling me, "Man, some point,
you gonna have to go upstairs,
1207
00:45:30,602 --> 00:45:32,688
"and it's gonna have
to get ugly, big dog.
1208
00:45:32,771 --> 00:45:33,897
This your team."
1209
00:45:33,981 --> 00:45:35,274
John Gabriel.
1210
00:45:35,357 --> 00:45:36,501
I called him on the phone
and said,
1211
00:45:36,525 --> 00:45:38,944
"Hey, man,
You heard of Penny Hardaway?"
1212
00:45:39,027 --> 00:45:41,113
"Oh, yeah, I heard of him.
He's really good.
1213
00:45:41,196 --> 00:45:43,949
But we probably want to go
with Chris Webber."
1214
00:45:44,032 --> 00:45:45,392
"Man, I don't need
no power forward
1215
00:45:45,451 --> 00:45:46,511
"that likes to shoot the ball.
1216
00:45:46,535 --> 00:45:47,720
"I need somebody
that's gonna give me
1217
00:45:47,744 --> 00:45:48,744
"the damn ball.
1218
00:45:48,787 --> 00:45:50,348
"If you don't pick
the Penny guy, brother,
1219
00:45:50,372 --> 00:45:52,012
"I think we gonna have
some problems at...
1220
00:45:52,040 --> 00:45:53,292
You know, when my deal is up."
1221
00:45:53,375 --> 00:45:57,379
- With the first pick
in the 1993 NBA Draft,
1222
00:45:57,463 --> 00:45:58,731
the Orlando Magic...
- Orlando Magic...
1223
00:45:58,755 --> 00:46:00,507
Select Chris Webber.
1224
00:46:01,925 --> 00:46:03,552
- I tear my back house up.
1225
00:46:03,635 --> 00:46:05,012
Break the glass.
1226
00:46:05,095 --> 00:46:06,680
"You tellin' me I'm the leader.
1227
00:46:06,763 --> 00:46:09,516
And then when I come to you
with something and you don't...
1228
00:46:09,600 --> 00:46:11,185
I mean, I'm still a pawn.
1229
00:46:11,268 --> 00:46:13,562
Callin' him, pissed off.
1230
00:46:13,645 --> 00:46:15,481
And then in the middle
of the draft...
1231
00:46:15,564 --> 00:46:18,358
- Ladies and gentlemen,
I'd like to report a trade.
1232
00:46:18,442 --> 00:46:22,154
Orlando has traded
the draft rights
1233
00:46:22,237 --> 00:46:25,491
to Chris Webber to Golden State
1234
00:46:25,574 --> 00:46:30,037
for the draft rights
to Anfernee Hardaway.
1235
00:46:30,120 --> 00:46:31,890
- Chris Webber to Golden State
for Penny Hardaway.
1236
00:46:31,914 --> 00:46:32,998
Now I'm like...
1237
00:46:33,081 --> 00:46:34,833
- When the Magic started,
the Nick Anderson,
1238
00:46:34,917 --> 00:46:37,377
you know,
the Scott Skiles, it was fun.
1239
00:46:37,461 --> 00:46:39,463
It was,
"Hey, the Magic's in town."
1240
00:46:39,546 --> 00:46:41,215
But when Shaq came,
1241
00:46:41,298 --> 00:46:47,179
it was like they were
a real professional team now.
1242
00:46:47,262 --> 00:46:49,556
Then draft night,
1243
00:46:49,640 --> 00:46:51,850
I look over to Nick Anderson.
1244
00:46:51,934 --> 00:46:54,561
I said, "This is Shaq
and Penny's team now."
1245
00:46:56,939 --> 00:46:59,066
And everything just took off.
1246
00:47:00,609 --> 00:47:02,611
- First year with Penny
was phenomenal.
1247
00:47:02,694 --> 00:47:05,197
He was the true definition
of a point guard.
1248
00:47:05,280 --> 00:47:06,698
True definition of a point guard
1249
00:47:06,782 --> 00:47:08,617
is one that makes
players around them better.
1250
00:47:08,700 --> 00:47:10,536
- Hardaway feeds O'Neal.
1251
00:47:10,619 --> 00:47:12,055
- He was always looking
for me first.
1252
00:47:12,079 --> 00:47:13,539
- Penny Hardaway fumbles...
1253
00:47:13,622 --> 00:47:15,832
- He's looking for me so much,
I don't have to tell him,
1254
00:47:15,916 --> 00:47:17,584
"Yo, man, I'm tired right now.
You shoot."
1255
00:47:17,668 --> 00:47:18,877
- Normally got there.
1256
00:47:18,961 --> 00:47:20,188
Skiles hit Hardaway, is twisted,
1257
00:47:20,212 --> 00:47:21,129
but Shaq hammers it in.
1258
00:47:21,213 --> 00:47:22,315
- We didn't have no problems.
1259
00:47:22,339 --> 00:47:24,383
No problems, no arguments,
no fights.
1260
00:47:24,466 --> 00:47:27,010
And they said that we were
the youngsters of the future.
1261
00:47:27,094 --> 00:47:28,174
- The wave of the future...
1262
00:47:28,220 --> 00:47:29,263
- The freight train,
1263
00:47:29,346 --> 00:47:30,946
we knew we were gettin' that
every night.
1264
00:47:30,973 --> 00:47:32,808
We knew
Shaq was gonna play hard.
1265
00:47:32,891 --> 00:47:35,143
And Penny was so gifted,
you just couldn't guard him
1266
00:47:35,227 --> 00:47:36,353
at 6'8" as a point guard.
1267
00:47:36,436 --> 00:47:38,689
- Penny pattycakes.
- Everywhere we went,
1268
00:47:38,772 --> 00:47:41,233
from the time
Shaq and Penny came together,
1269
00:47:41,316 --> 00:47:42,401
was a party.
1270
00:47:42,484 --> 00:47:44,403
- Shaq, may I please have
an autograph, please?
1271
00:47:44,486 --> 00:47:46,113
- That's when we became
a household name.
1272
00:47:51,535 --> 00:47:54,371
Another Dr. Lucille O'Neal
quote:
1273
00:47:54,454 --> 00:47:55,706
before you succeed,
1274
00:47:55,789 --> 00:47:57,207
you must first learn to fail.
1275
00:47:58,417 --> 00:47:59,626
We got swept by the Pacers
1276
00:47:59,710 --> 00:48:02,045
'cause we didn't know
how to win yet.
1277
00:48:02,129 --> 00:48:03,297
Wasn't good enough.
1278
00:48:03,380 --> 00:48:04,940
We're a young team.
They a veteran team.
1279
00:48:05,007 --> 00:48:07,884
They know all the tricks,
and we wasn't ready yet.
1280
00:48:09,553 --> 00:48:11,680
Third year, we got Horace Grant.
1281
00:48:11,763 --> 00:48:13,307
- One last time, Horace Grant.
1282
00:48:13,390 --> 00:48:14,516
- We were confidence.
1283
00:48:14,600 --> 00:48:16,893
Penny was an all-star.
I was an all-star.
1284
00:48:16,977 --> 00:48:18,478
Everything was flowin' great.
1285
00:48:18,562 --> 00:48:20,939
And then you go up against
the great Michael Jordan.
1286
00:48:21,023 --> 00:48:23,650
- It came
in a two-word statement,
1287
00:48:23,734 --> 00:48:24,818
"I'm back."
1288
00:48:24,901 --> 00:48:26,612
That was really all
Jordan needed to say
1289
00:48:26,695 --> 00:48:29,615
as his 17-month retirement
came to an end.
1290
00:48:29,698 --> 00:48:32,618
- The young student
must kill the master
1291
00:48:32,701 --> 00:48:34,661
to become the master.
1292
00:48:34,745 --> 00:48:36,830
Mike is the man.
1293
00:48:36,913 --> 00:48:38,624
He left, he comes back.
1294
00:48:38,707 --> 00:48:41,001
I don't care
if it's Michael on the court.
1295
00:48:42,586 --> 00:48:43,896
- I knew for us
to get over the hump,
1296
00:48:43,920 --> 00:48:45,714
we were gonna have to go
through the Bulls,
1297
00:48:45,797 --> 00:48:48,008
the team that won
three championships in a row.
1298
00:48:48,091 --> 00:48:49,235
But we knew
the competitive nature
1299
00:48:49,259 --> 00:48:51,845
of Michael Jordan
and Scottie Pippen.
1300
00:48:51,928 --> 00:48:53,221
We were the young guns.
1301
00:48:54,973 --> 00:48:56,409
We weren't really caring
about any of that.
1302
00:48:56,433 --> 00:48:57,702
We just knew
that we had to go ball.
1303
00:48:57,726 --> 00:48:59,006
- Shaquille O'Neal over Michael.
1304
00:48:59,061 --> 00:49:00,741
That's another three
for Anfernee Hardaway.
1305
00:49:00,771 --> 00:49:01,771
- And that's what we did.
1306
00:49:03,732 --> 00:49:05,817
- And there's Shaq.
- Shaquille.
1307
00:49:05,901 --> 00:49:06,777
- Backs him all the way
1308
00:49:06,860 --> 00:49:08,612
and goes up and dunks the ball.
1309
00:49:08,695 --> 00:49:10,447
- Had some problems
at the end of the year.
1310
00:49:10,530 --> 00:49:12,824
That's Hardaway
with the reverse.
1311
00:49:12,908 --> 00:49:14,201
- Jordan hard to the hoop.
1312
00:49:14,284 --> 00:49:15,869
The reverse from Michael!
1313
00:49:15,952 --> 00:49:17,287
- Shaquille down low.
1314
00:49:17,371 --> 00:49:19,998
Ran the double team.
Hardaway hammer time.
1315
00:49:20,082 --> 00:49:22,334
- Pippen driving,
stripped by O'Neal.
1316
00:49:22,417 --> 00:49:23,752
O'Neal dunks the ball.
1317
00:49:23,835 --> 00:49:24,835
- It's all over.
1318
00:49:24,878 --> 00:49:26,755
And the Bulls' season
comes to an end
1319
00:49:26,838 --> 00:49:29,049
here at the United Center,
and the Orlando Magic,
1320
00:49:29,132 --> 00:49:30,610
the number one team...
- It was like winning
1321
00:49:30,634 --> 00:49:32,636
the respect battle.
1322
00:49:32,719 --> 00:49:34,721
It was winning
the barbershop news.
1323
00:49:34,805 --> 00:49:37,224
And that
was the bragging rights.
1324
00:49:37,307 --> 00:49:40,686
For that weekend, that day,
we kicked the Bulls' butt.
1325
00:49:40,769 --> 00:49:42,997
- Now, just think about it.
You just beat Michael Jordan.
1326
00:49:43,021 --> 00:49:44,356
Who else is left?
1327
00:49:44,439 --> 00:49:46,900
Ain't nobody else left
in the league.
1328
00:49:46,983 --> 00:49:48,485
- We weren't worried
about playing
1329
00:49:48,568 --> 00:49:51,863
the Indiana Pacers in
the Eastern Conference final.
1330
00:49:51,947 --> 00:49:54,324
- The crowd's
standing and cheering,
1331
00:49:54,408 --> 00:49:56,008
and they may not sit down
till Wednesday.
1332
00:49:56,076 --> 00:49:57,428
- We have
about six, seven days off.
1333
00:49:57,452 --> 00:49:58,537
We partyin'.
1334
00:49:58,620 --> 00:50:01,331
Me and D Scott,
we in Atlanta at Magic City.
1335
00:50:01,415 --> 00:50:02,416
We did a rap song.
1336
00:50:05,335 --> 00:50:06,545
B Shaw, myself.
1337
00:50:07,796 --> 00:50:09,190
Then Penny came by,
but Penny didn't really rap.
1338
00:50:09,214 --> 00:50:10,257
He was just there.
1339
00:50:10,340 --> 00:50:13,135
We were the Showtime
of the South.
1340
00:50:13,218 --> 00:50:16,555
And we wanted to say,
"Hey, we know we're good."
1341
00:50:16,638 --> 00:50:20,267
So game one of the finals,
1342
00:50:20,350 --> 00:50:21,393
we're rollin'.
1343
00:50:21,476 --> 00:50:22,476
I'm hittin' threes.
1344
00:50:22,519 --> 00:50:24,688
Shaq's dunkin'.
Penny's doing his thing.
1345
00:50:24,771 --> 00:50:25,832
- We was up the whole game.
1346
00:50:25,856 --> 00:50:29,443
And, like, they come back
and they go crazy.
1347
00:50:29,526 --> 00:50:31,570
And Nick Anderson,
he has the chance
1348
00:50:31,653 --> 00:50:33,029
to make two free throws.
1349
00:50:33,113 --> 00:50:34,573
He misses,
1350
00:50:34,656 --> 00:50:36,783
gets his own rebound,
gets fouled again.
1351
00:50:36,867 --> 00:50:38,744
I'm like, "Bro, just hit
these two free throws
1352
00:50:38,827 --> 00:50:40,471
"so we can get this
little lead, get it stopped.
1353
00:50:40,495 --> 00:50:41,788
We gonna win the first game."
1354
00:50:41,872 --> 00:50:44,541
- Well, the three
to make four rule, that's...
1355
00:50:44,624 --> 00:50:46,304
- That's...
- And then Nick misses
1356
00:50:46,334 --> 00:50:47,334
those free throws.
1357
00:50:47,377 --> 00:50:49,296
- And he misses four straight.
1358
00:50:49,379 --> 00:50:51,798
The Rockets...
- We lose our mojo.
1359
00:50:51,882 --> 00:50:54,634
Tide changes. Hakeem gets hot.
1360
00:50:54,718 --> 00:50:56,136
Drexler's doing his thing.
1361
00:50:56,219 --> 00:50:57,429
- And then we lost game one.
1362
00:50:57,512 --> 00:50:59,306
- The Houston Rockets
have stunned
1363
00:50:59,389 --> 00:51:01,767
the Orlando Magic.
- Now we're worried.
1364
00:51:01,850 --> 00:51:03,852
The problem with the finals is,
1365
00:51:03,935 --> 00:51:05,687
I was going up
against one of my idols
1366
00:51:05,771 --> 00:51:07,105
and I showed him
too much respect.
1367
00:51:08,690 --> 00:51:11,943
Now we come into game two,
and they blow us out.
1368
00:51:12,027 --> 00:51:14,571
We go to game three
in Houston, and we lose.
1369
00:51:17,032 --> 00:51:18,450
We go to game four...
1370
00:51:21,536 --> 00:51:23,121
They blow us out.
1371
00:51:23,205 --> 00:51:24,790
- The Houston Rockets
1372
00:51:24,873 --> 00:51:28,543
have swept the Orlando Magic.
1373
00:51:29,503 --> 00:51:32,839
- We were still young and naive.
1374
00:51:34,257 --> 00:51:36,343
Did we say all
the right things in practice?
1375
00:51:36,426 --> 00:51:38,553
Did we do all the right things
in practice?
1376
00:51:38,637 --> 00:51:40,305
Did we come out and play hard?
1377
00:51:40,388 --> 00:51:42,516
We did! We tried.
1378
00:51:45,143 --> 00:51:46,770
That is...
1379
00:51:52,150 --> 00:51:54,277
That is my saddest moment...
1380
00:51:56,738 --> 00:51:58,448
To be honest with you.
1381
00:52:01,701 --> 00:52:03,620
Because we never...
1382
00:52:06,706 --> 00:52:09,292
Got it back.
1383
00:52:12,295 --> 00:52:14,422
- I'm walking down the street
in Chicago.
1384
00:52:14,506 --> 00:52:16,299
This lady comes up to me
and says,
1385
00:52:16,383 --> 00:52:17,777
"You shouldn't do that
to your father.
1386
00:52:17,801 --> 00:52:19,678
You should give him
a second chance."
1387
00:52:19,761 --> 00:52:22,013
I'm like,
"What are you talking about?"
1388
00:52:22,097 --> 00:52:24,891
- Can you imagine losing
contact with your son
1389
00:52:24,975 --> 00:52:26,434
and being able to hear about him
1390
00:52:26,518 --> 00:52:27,853
only through the press?
1391
00:52:27,936 --> 00:52:29,413
- And then I get home.
I called my mom.
1392
00:52:29,437 --> 00:52:31,815
I said, "Mommy, look,
did Daddy do something?"
1393
00:52:31,898 --> 00:52:34,192
And she's... "No.
1394
00:52:34,276 --> 00:52:37,112
But Joe Toney done went
on the 'Ricki Lake' show."
1395
00:52:37,195 --> 00:52:39,447
I'm like, "What? Who?"
1396
00:52:39,531 --> 00:52:41,908
- Joe Toney is
Shaquille O'Neal's birth father
1397
00:52:41,992 --> 00:52:44,578
and hasn't spoken to him
in over a decade.
1398
00:52:44,661 --> 00:52:46,204
He says no matter how hard
he has tried
1399
00:52:46,288 --> 00:52:47,539
to contact Shaquille,
1400
00:52:47,622 --> 00:52:50,292
his requests to see his son
have been turned down.
1401
00:52:50,375 --> 00:52:52,794
- Basically,
when Shaquille was born,
1402
00:52:52,878 --> 00:52:55,589
I got in trouble.
I was involved with drugs.
1403
00:52:55,672 --> 00:52:57,757
And when he was six months old,
I got locked up.
1404
00:52:57,841 --> 00:52:59,426
I went to prison for five years.
1405
00:52:59,509 --> 00:53:00,653
When I came back from prison,
1406
00:53:00,677 --> 00:53:02,596
she had married
this gentleman in the service
1407
00:53:02,679 --> 00:53:04,180
and they moved to Germany.
1408
00:53:04,264 --> 00:53:06,433
They gave me a bogus address
1409
00:53:06,516 --> 00:53:08,602
at which to get in touch
with them which didn't work.
1410
00:53:08,685 --> 00:53:09,954
But like I said, I just want
to get the message...
1411
00:53:09,978 --> 00:53:11,730
I just want a few minutes
of his time.
1412
00:53:11,813 --> 00:53:14,900
- I can almost believe
that he heard about Shaquille
1413
00:53:14,983 --> 00:53:17,944
from the time he was becoming
national news.
1414
00:53:18,028 --> 00:53:21,990
And it probably was burning
in him... he missed everything.
1415
00:53:22,073 --> 00:53:24,576
But Shaquille didn't care.
1416
00:53:24,659 --> 00:53:26,077
He wrote a song about Phil.
1417
00:53:26,161 --> 00:53:28,580
He said, "He took me
from a boy to a man.
1418
00:53:28,663 --> 00:53:29,748
"And Phil is my father
1419
00:53:29,831 --> 00:53:32,292
'cause my biological
didn't bother."
1420
00:53:34,210 --> 00:53:35,962
"Oh, I just want to see him.
1421
00:53:36,046 --> 00:53:37,440
I want to do this.
I want to do that."
1422
00:53:37,464 --> 00:53:39,341
But in my mind, it's,
1423
00:53:39,424 --> 00:53:41,968
"When I was trying to get
some shoes, where were you?"
1424
00:53:42,052 --> 00:53:43,637
My mom always told me,
"Hey, beware.
1425
00:53:43,720 --> 00:53:46,473
Once you get this money,
everybody comin'."
1426
00:53:46,556 --> 00:53:47,807
And he was the first one.
1427
00:53:51,478 --> 00:53:55,273
That year,
Penny redid his contract.
1428
00:53:55,357 --> 00:53:57,442
He sat out a couple games.
1429
00:53:57,525 --> 00:54:01,196
Wanted more money than me,
which is fine.
1430
00:54:01,279 --> 00:54:03,657
'Cause one thing I understood
was marketing and business.
1431
00:54:03,740 --> 00:54:06,826
You pay him $30 million,
you gotta pay me $60 million.
1432
00:54:06,910 --> 00:54:08,495
- It was never
in the negotiations
1433
00:54:08,578 --> 00:54:09,680
where I was saying
I need to make more
1434
00:54:09,704 --> 00:54:11,790
than anybody on the team,
Shaq or anyone.
1435
00:54:11,873 --> 00:54:13,041
I just wanted my worth.
1436
00:54:13,124 --> 00:54:16,044
- I create jealousies
for myself.
1437
00:54:16,127 --> 00:54:19,381
If you have something,
internally, I say I want it.
1438
00:54:19,464 --> 00:54:21,007
And then I just gotta go get it.
1439
00:54:21,091 --> 00:54:22,968
- And then
with his tenth three-pointer,
1440
00:54:23,051 --> 00:54:25,053
a new NBA record...
1441
00:54:25,136 --> 00:54:28,181
- I knew that Shaq has to get
the first shot.
1442
00:54:28,264 --> 00:54:30,934
If you didn't understand that
about him,
1443
00:54:31,017 --> 00:54:33,895
then that's where
you were gonna have problems.
1444
00:54:33,979 --> 00:54:35,855
Being the biggest guy
in the room,
1445
00:54:35,939 --> 00:54:38,984
he wants the biggest
and the most of everything.
1446
00:54:39,067 --> 00:54:41,152
That's for his own ego.
1447
00:54:41,236 --> 00:54:44,489
Our team was young,
pretty immature.
1448
00:54:44,572 --> 00:54:46,616
I think that
that slowly started to affect
1449
00:54:46,700 --> 00:54:49,160
the camaraderie or lack of it.
1450
00:54:49,244 --> 00:54:51,955
- That's the first part
of destroying a franchise,
1451
00:54:52,038 --> 00:54:53,623
destroying a team,
1452
00:54:53,707 --> 00:54:56,126
because your two best players
need to be on the same page.
1453
00:54:56,209 --> 00:54:58,128
Like, he was upset
that I was getting
1454
00:54:58,211 --> 00:54:59,754
more money
or the same amount of money
1455
00:54:59,838 --> 00:55:01,840
or that he deserved more.
1456
00:55:01,923 --> 00:55:03,633
But I felt like he was the man
1457
00:55:03,717 --> 00:55:06,678
and that they were gonna do
for him what needed to be done.
1458
00:55:06,761 --> 00:55:09,222
- We came back next year.
We're rollin'.
1459
00:55:09,305 --> 00:55:12,726
But it wasn't that same feeling.
1460
00:55:12,809 --> 00:55:16,229
Is Shaq stayin' now?
Is Shaq leavin'?
1461
00:55:16,312 --> 00:55:18,023
Is he gettin' a contract?
1462
00:55:18,106 --> 00:55:20,233
Everything changed.
1463
00:55:23,111 --> 00:55:25,196
- A look
at the starting lineups.
1464
00:55:25,280 --> 00:55:28,241
The Magic will start
without Shaquille O'Neal.
1465
00:55:28,324 --> 00:55:31,286
- Well, in 1996,
my grandmother died.
1466
00:55:31,369 --> 00:55:33,097
After the funeral,
I just needed a couple days
1467
00:55:33,121 --> 00:55:34,914
to just relax.
1468
00:55:34,998 --> 00:55:36,600
But they callin' me,
"We're playin' the Bulls.
1469
00:55:36,624 --> 00:55:38,752
Come, come, come."
Like, "No, I'm not comin'."
1470
00:55:38,835 --> 00:55:42,297
That's more important to them
than my family.
1471
00:55:42,380 --> 00:55:43,923
A damn game.
1472
00:55:44,007 --> 00:55:47,093
- Here comes Shaquille O'Neal.
1473
00:55:47,177 --> 00:55:48,928
With a sense of drama,
1474
00:55:49,012 --> 00:55:52,474
Shaquille O'Neal just arrived
at the arena.
1475
00:55:52,557 --> 00:55:55,769
He is hustling back
to the Orlando locker room
1476
00:55:55,852 --> 00:55:58,938
and, obviously, will try
to get himself into uniform
1477
00:55:59,022 --> 00:56:01,066
and will be appearing
on the bench.
1478
00:56:01,149 --> 00:56:04,819
- So I come in the middle.
We lose.
1479
00:56:04,903 --> 00:56:06,946
And I do something
I wasn't supposed to do.
1480
00:56:07,030 --> 00:56:09,157
I go upstairs and say,
1481
00:56:09,240 --> 00:56:11,701
"We startin' off
at $115 million."
1482
00:56:11,785 --> 00:56:14,579
They, whoever they may be,
did a poll.
1483
00:56:14,662 --> 00:56:17,415
"Is Shaq worth $115 million?"
1484
00:56:17,499 --> 00:56:19,250
And the town said no.
1485
00:56:19,334 --> 00:56:20,686
- Well, I just think
if Shaq is as good
1486
00:56:20,710 --> 00:56:22,504
as he thinks he is,
why do they ever have
1487
00:56:22,587 --> 00:56:24,464
25, 30 rebounds in a game?
1488
00:56:24,547 --> 00:56:26,382
Why didn't he step up
in the fourth quarter?
1489
00:56:26,466 --> 00:56:27,986
You know, he was...
- Shaquille O'Neal,
1490
00:56:28,051 --> 00:56:30,804
who's already a millionaire
and has a mansion,
1491
00:56:30,887 --> 00:56:32,430
how much more does he need?
1492
00:56:32,514 --> 00:56:34,557
- How dare you ask the community
1493
00:56:34,641 --> 00:56:35,809
should he be paid that much?
1494
00:56:35,892 --> 00:56:36,935
You know better.
1495
00:56:37,018 --> 00:56:38,144
Or maybe you don't.
1496
00:56:38,228 --> 00:56:40,105
- I just think that the man
didn't want to play
1497
00:56:40,188 --> 00:56:42,065
for the Magic anymore
because he wasn't
1498
00:56:42,148 --> 00:56:45,110
the main man anymore
because we got Penny.
1499
00:56:45,193 --> 00:56:47,779
- It reminded me of Snoop Dogg
at the Source Awards.
1500
00:56:47,862 --> 00:56:49,948
- The East Coast don't love
Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg?
1501
00:56:50,031 --> 00:56:52,784
- Orlando Magic, y'all
don't love Shaquille O'Neal?
1502
00:56:52,867 --> 00:56:54,178
- Y'all don't love us?
- Y'all don't love me?
1503
00:56:54,202 --> 00:56:56,830
- Shaq wanted to stay
with the Orlando Magic.
1504
00:56:56,913 --> 00:56:58,414
He was a small-town guy.
1505
00:56:58,498 --> 00:56:59,874
Instead of offering
1506
00:56:59,958 --> 00:57:03,670
the most dominant player
in basketball a max deal,
1507
00:57:03,753 --> 00:57:07,090
they started playing around
trying to negotiate with him.
1508
00:57:07,173 --> 00:57:10,844
It really made him feel
disrespected.
1509
00:57:10,927 --> 00:57:13,847
- There's no loyalty
in any game.
1510
00:57:13,930 --> 00:57:16,516
So get a call from my guy.
1511
00:57:16,599 --> 00:57:18,410
He said, "They offered you
$80 million for four.
1512
00:57:18,434 --> 00:57:21,020
I'm like, "That's cool.
I could take that."
1513
00:57:21,104 --> 00:57:24,065
Basketball gods or something
said, "Don't do it."
1514
00:57:26,609 --> 00:57:27,777
- How much he get?
1515
00:57:29,362 --> 00:57:30,362
- Congratulations, Zo.
1516
00:57:30,405 --> 00:57:32,490
Man, I'm just, you know,
hoping to get
1517
00:57:32,574 --> 00:57:33,825
a pretty good deal.
1518
00:57:33,908 --> 00:57:37,579
The Miami Heat signed Juwan
for $110 million
1519
00:57:37,662 --> 00:57:39,914
and Alonzo for $115 million.
1520
00:57:39,998 --> 00:57:42,667
And I'm like,
"I done killed both of them
1521
00:57:42,750 --> 00:57:44,210
their whole career."
1522
00:57:44,294 --> 00:57:45,670
- Oh! Oh, what a dunk.
1523
00:57:45,753 --> 00:57:48,798
- If a top-of-the-line BMW
costs $110 million,
1524
00:57:48,882 --> 00:57:50,884
what does a top-of-the-line
Mercedes cost?
1525
00:57:50,967 --> 00:57:52,385
Much more.
1526
00:57:52,468 --> 00:57:54,554
So then we're in the Olympics.
We're trainin'.
1527
00:57:54,637 --> 00:57:56,347
Uncle Jerome and I were out...
1528
00:57:56,431 --> 00:57:58,183
At a gentleman's club,
I may add.
1529
00:57:58,266 --> 00:58:00,977
- I remember he got a call
from his agent at the time
1530
00:58:01,060 --> 00:58:02,228
that we had to meet him.
1531
00:58:02,312 --> 00:58:04,022
It was, like,
early in the morning.
1532
00:58:04,105 --> 00:58:05,565
When we get there,
1533
00:58:05,648 --> 00:58:08,401
his agent is there
and Mr. West is there.
1534
00:58:08,484 --> 00:58:10,124
- And then he was like,
"Jerry, tell him."
1535
00:58:10,153 --> 00:58:12,947
And Jerry says,
"We got some good news
1536
00:58:13,031 --> 00:58:14,073
and I got some bad news."
1537
00:58:14,157 --> 00:58:15,467
And I said,
"What's the bad news?"
1538
00:58:15,491 --> 00:58:17,410
He said, "I can't get you
that $115 million."
1539
00:58:17,493 --> 00:58:18,596
I said,
"What's the good news?"
1540
00:58:18,620 --> 00:58:20,413
"I can get you
to $120 million."
1541
00:58:20,496 --> 00:58:21,581
I was like...
1542
00:58:21,664 --> 00:58:24,209
- As a basketball player,
I cried.
1543
00:58:24,292 --> 00:58:27,754
Shaq on the floor
makes life easier
1544
00:58:27,837 --> 00:58:30,173
because he's that dominant.
1545
00:58:30,256 --> 00:58:31,936
- I didn't know
that he was leaving Orlando
1546
00:58:32,008 --> 00:58:35,553
until I saw
the actual press conference
1547
00:58:35,637 --> 00:58:37,430
with him holding a Laker jersey
1548
00:58:37,513 --> 00:58:39,015
with Jerry West.
1549
00:58:39,098 --> 00:58:40,808
- Didn't communicate at all.
1550
00:58:40,892 --> 00:58:43,144
Not one time
did we call each other
1551
00:58:43,228 --> 00:58:45,605
and talk to each other
and talk it out.
1552
00:58:45,688 --> 00:58:47,106
- Penny didn't even know.
1553
00:58:47,190 --> 00:58:49,359
But all I really wanted
was for Penny to go
1554
00:58:49,442 --> 00:58:51,402
to the Orlando and say,
"Pay Shaq.
1555
00:58:51,486 --> 00:58:53,130
"Shaq stuck up for me.
Now I'm stickin' up for him.
1556
00:58:53,154 --> 00:58:55,031
Pay him."
But he never did that.
1557
00:58:55,114 --> 00:58:58,076
So in my mind, I was like,
"Okay, you want to be the man?
1558
00:58:58,159 --> 00:58:59,327
There you go."
1559
00:58:59,410 --> 00:59:01,246
In case you haven't
figured it out yet,
1560
00:59:01,329 --> 00:59:03,456
I've signed
with the Los Angeles Lakers.
1561
00:59:03,539 --> 00:59:06,084
Keep in mind
the word "change."
1562
00:59:06,167 --> 00:59:08,461
To me, change is for the good.
1563
00:59:08,544 --> 00:59:11,631
And right when I'm signin',
Jerry West says to me,
1564
00:59:11,714 --> 00:59:13,466
"In a couple years,
you're gonna be
1565
00:59:13,549 --> 00:59:15,176
"one of the best
basketball players
1566
00:59:15,260 --> 00:59:16,928
ever to play the game."
1567
00:59:17,011 --> 00:59:19,055
Pause. I was like,
"You know what?
1568
00:59:19,138 --> 00:59:20,640
You might be right."
1569
01:00:55,342 --> 01:00:57,342
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