He goes by a lot of different aliases: Shaq-Fu, The Big Diesel, Shaq Daddy, Big Fella, Shaqtus, The Big Shamrock, Kazaam (more on that in a sec), Superman....
The NBA great cracks jokes, tells tales as keynote speaker for St. Phillip’s annual Destiny Award luncheon.
O’Neal — the guest speaker at Wednesday’s Destiny Award fundraising luncheon for St. Philip’s School and Community Center — shared his story how that nickname came about, and the ties it has to his upbringing, his work ethic and, ultimately, his advice for those at the South Dallas elementary and middle school.
“Growing up with a drill sergeant father … we were always talking about practicing good habits,” he said. “I used to say to the mirror, ‘I’m the best big man. I’m better than David Robinson. I’m this. I’m that,’” O’Neal said. “I just wanted to put that in people’s minds. That’s what I tell children all the time: ‘You are what you say you are. Don’t let other people say who you are.’”
When asked by Johnson why O’Neal went back to finish his college degree, eventually getting a master’s in business and education doctorate in organizational leadership, O’Neal said it was largely because of promises he made to his mother, Lucille. Over the next few years, St. Philip’s will raise $2 million to expand to include seventh and eighth grades. Flowers said $300,000 has been raised thus far for the effort. The school, which currently has 240 students from grades pre-kindergarten to sixth grade, will add about 15 additional students per class after the expansion is completed.
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