Shaquille O’Neal is proving that it’s never too late to go back to school. The 54-year-old retired NBA legend has officially added another degree to his collection. And in true Shaq fashion, he made sure there were plenty of jokes along the way.
The NBA legend received his second master’s degree from Louisiana State University on Saturday, earning a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts while celebrating the milestone with dancing, goofy poses, and a quick shot at longtime friend and Inside the NBA co-host Charles Barkley.
Before accepting his diploma, O’Neal was hilariously introduced as “Shaquille ‘I hate Charles Barkley’ O’Neal,” immediately setting the tone for the ceremony. Shaq played right into it too, sticking his tongue out, dancing, and posing proudly with his diploma in hand as graduates and families cheered him on.
He even made a commencement speech, which was motivational, chaotic, funny, and weirdly wholesome all at once. “Youngsters, I want to leave you with five things,” he told graduates before launching into life advice.
“One, never stop learning. I’m proud of you all today, but this is not the end of your journey. Make sure you continue,” he said before plugging his company. “Continue to strive, continue to learn, continue to have fun, and continue to eat Shackalicious gummies at your local 7-Eleven and all the other stores.”
“Number two, youngsters, before you succeed, you must first learn to fail. But in the words of the great Shaquille O’Neal, use failure as motivation,” he added. “Number three, your character will take you further than your resume. Continue to be kind, continue to be humble,” the baller continued.
“Number four, stay curious and open-minded around the world around you. This is a weird world we live in,” he said before making another joke at Barkley. “One day, Charles Barkley was fat. The next day, he’s skinny. I don’t know what happened, but this world is crazy. And five, celebrate how far you have come, but keep striving for what’s ahead.”
His latest degree is now the fourth diploma on his résumé, adding to his Bachelor of General Studies, MBA, and Doctor of Education. According to O’Neal, his thesis focused on mentorship through the lens of Homer’s The Odyssey, something he connected directly to guiding younger athletes through life both on and off the court.
© Getty ImagesLast month, Shaq explained why continuing his education still matters to him, especially as someone constantly surrounded by young athletes chasing fast money through NIL deals and sponsorships.
“We talk about the NIL, what’s going on now. People always go for money first, but you have to have the education on how to manage the money,” he told the New York Post. “So I want my children and those that follow me to say, ‘Okay, he’s educated. Maybe I should do it.’”
© GettyDuring his time at LSU, Shaq racked up pretty much every major honor possible, including First-Team All-American recognition, SEC Player of the Year titles, and AP National Player of the Year. He still holds both the NCAA and SEC records for blocked shots, and LSU later retired his No. 33 jersey and even unveiled a statue of him outside the arena.
While Shaq is a proud LSU graduate, he didn’t pressure his daughter Me’arah O’neal to follow in his footsteps. She chose to make a name for herself at the University of Florida.
While he admitted it was one of the best moments of his life, taking her on campus and everyone knowing who she was, he said he tried to stay out of the decision. “What I did tell her is, ‘Go where you’re needed, not where you’re wanted. Because if you go where you’re wanted and they have other people like you, it may take a while.’ I want [my kids] to have their own journey, have their own experience.”
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