Throughout his NBA career and following it, NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal has been quite open about his childhood upbringing.
During a recent appearance on Oprah's Master Class on OWN, O'Neal revealed why his mother gave him his unique name.
“One day I finally asked my mother, I said, ‘We have Brians and Kennys and Mikes and Gregs in our family, why did you name me Shaquille?' She said, ‘I wanted to name you something that meant something.' My name is Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal. Shaquille is an Islamic name that means ‘little,' Rashaun means ‘warrior.' She said, ‘You're my little warrior. I've fought with you, I've fought for you.'”
This brings much more weight to the special meaning of his name that has a strong connection to his mother. Through most of his childhood, O'Neal was raised by his mother, who was often times credited as being his main source of motivation and his best friend.
It helped lift him to much success on the basketball court putting together a 19-year career while earning the reputation as being one of the best players to play the game. This has also translated just as much or more success since retiring from the NBA as he has numerous sponsorships, business ventures, and has even garnered an analyst job on TNT's “Inside the NBA.”
The entire episode featuring O'Neal is set to air on Saturday at 10 p.m. on the OWN Network.
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