Shaquille O’Neal, better known as Shaq, will always be a towering figure in basketball. His legacy is not just built on his physical dominance (how many backboards did he shatter?), but also on his larger-than-life personality.
Full disclosure: As a Sacramento Kings fan, I have to admit that I’ll never forgive Shaq for him and his Lakers teammates taking down the Kings in the 2002 NBA Western Conference Finals. 😒
And yet, there’s no denying that Shaq is an NBA great who has made a powerful impact off the court as well. That’s why I’ve included him in our ongoing basketball quotes series. He’s done some pretty amazing things without making a big fuss about it, like gifting scooters to kids, helping a teenager get new shoes, or even covering a stranger’s grocery bill. These under-the-radar good deeds show he’s got a heart as big as his stature, always looking for ways to positively influence the lives of others.
So here, I’ve collected a list of the 24 best Shaq quotes, or at least my personal favorites. From the motivational to the downright hilarious, dive into the many facets of Shaquille O’Neal.
Shaq Motivational Quotes
Shaquille O’Neal was a beast on the court, day in and day out. He knew how to keep the fire burning game after game, a level of intensity that takes real drive and motivation. So here, let’s dive into some of the most motivational Shaq quotes.
1. What’s Real Pressure?
“I don’t believe in pressure. Pressure is when you don’t know where your next meal is coming from.”
Shaq’s saying here that the real tough stuff in life is way bigger than any game. He teaches us to see challenges as chances to shine, not just stress.
2. Habit of Excellence
“Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. you are what you repeatedly do.”
This Shaq quote underscores his belief that consistency in effort, not just occasional brilliance, defines excellence. Showing up ready to go can’t be an every-once-in-a-while thing.
3. Motivation Comes From You
“The only person who can really motivate you is you.”
Straight from Shaq: The push you need has to come from inside you, not from anyone else.
4. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
“My secret? See it, and stay focused on it.”
With this Shaq quote, he shares his not-so-secret secret to success: dream it, then stick to it.
5. Stop Thinking Small
“We’re focusing on the whole pie, not a slice. A slice is good, but it’s not good enough to get you fat. We’re trying to get fat.”
Shaq’s not about settling for just a little piece of the pie. He’s all in, aiming for the whole thing, and he thinks we should too.
6. Prove Them Wrong
“I really get motivated when I have doubters.”
Doubters? Shaq uses them as fuel to fire up his drive and get ahead. Turn that skepticism into motivation.
7. Tackle Your Challenges
“I’m going to be on a mission. I’ve handled my personal vendettas and handled them well. Every challenge you put in front of me, I’ve handled it, dismantled it – ate them, dropped them off in the bathroom and flushed them away.”
Nothing stops Shaq. He looks at obstacles, laughs, and then crushes them. It’s all about being unstoppable and handling business.
8. Solution Over Problem
“Never worry about the problem, always worry about the solution.”
Here, Shaq’s telling us to focus on fixing things instead of freaking out about what’s wrong. Find a way through.
Find out: What’s the average NBA height?
Funny Shaq Quotes
Whether he’s poking fun at himself or the game, Shaq knows how to make you laugh. Dive into his humor with these classic Shaq quotes.
9. Not Perfect, Just Shaq
“Me shooting 40 percent at the foul line is just God’s way of saying that nobody’s perfect. If I shot 90 percent from the line, it just wouldn’t be right.”
Shaq humorously acknowledges his infamous free-throw shooting struggles, suggesting his imperfection keeps the universe in balance. His free-throw accuracy (or lack thereof) led to the Hack-a-Shaq intentional foul strategy.
10. Cereal Advantage
“You guys make the rules up, so a foul is a foul. It doesn’t matter if a guy is bigger and stronger. It’s not my fault I ate my Frosted Flakes when I was little, and you ate Wheaties.”
Growing bigger and stronger? According to Shaq, it’s what you ate for breakfast as a kid. His choice? Frosted Flakes, apparently the secret to becoming an NBA giant.
11. Otherworldly Strength
“I don’t know how it is for you earthlings, but where I’m from, strength is mental.”
Even though Shaq towers over most, he jokes that his real power is in his mind, not his height. (Though being one of the tallest NBA players ever surely didn’t hurt.)
12. Down with Flopping
“When you flop, that’s just another message that you don’t know how to play me. Stand up and take your medicine like a man.”
With this Shaq quote, he mocks flopping in basketball. He sees it as a sign you’ve given up. His advice? Stand strong and face him like a champ.
13. Artistic Talent
“If I were a painter, you’d be calling me Shaqcasso.”
With a play on words, Shaq imagines himself as a great artist, blending his name with that of Picasso.
14. Sometimes Gentle Giant
“I’m a combination of the Terminator and Bambi.”
Only Shaq could see himself as both the unyielding Terminator and the gentle, doe-eyed Bambi. It’s a mix of tough and tender.
15. Superman Has Landed
“I am Superman. And the only thing that can kill Superman is Kryptonite. And Kryptonite doesn’t exist.”
In Shaq’s eyes, he’s invincible—no kryptonite can take him down, especially since it’s not real. He references his nickname while shrugging off any potential weaknesses.
16. Unquestionable Fact?
“Some things you just can’t question. Like you can’t question why two plus two is four. So don’t question it, don’t try to look it up. I don’t know who made it, all I know is it was put in my head that two plus two is four. So certain things happen. Why does it rain? Why am I so sexy? I don’t know.”
Shaq playfully wonders about life’s big questions, from the basics of math to his own undeniable charm. It’s Shaq being Shaq—funny, confident, and always ready to entertain.
Inspirational Shaq Quotes
Shaq is certainly not perfect. Like everyone, he’s made mistakes in his life. Where he exceeds is taking accountability when he blows it and working to be better the next time. With these inspirational Shaq quotes, his words are like a pep talk for anyone facing a challenge, big or small.
17. Make Good from Bad
“I know how to turn the bad into good always.”
Shaq’s saying no matter what life throws at him, he always finds a way to make things better. He finds the silver lining in every situation.
18. The Power of Discipline
“Because I grew up with a drill sergeant in my life, I respect order and it really gave me the discipline to be a leader and not a follower. It also helped me stay out of trouble.”
Shaq credits his strict upbringing for teaching him how to stay on the straight and narrow. He spotlights the impact discipline can have on someone’s life.
19. Focus on What it Takes to Win
“The day I stopped worrying about stats is the day I started winning.”
Here, Shaq shares a game-changer: when he stopped obsessing over his point and rebound numbers and started playing for the team, that’s when the real victories began.
20. Love Me or Don’t
“If you don’t like me, there must be something wrong with you.”
Shaq’s not shy about his self-worth. He believes if someone can’t see his value, maybe they’ve got it wrong, not him.
21. Wisdom from the Elders
“My message to little kids who aspire to be anything they want to be is to listen to their parents.”
With this quote, Shaq suggests the secret to achieving your dreams might just be listening to a mom or dad. They’ve been where you’re going, after all.
22. Championship or Bust
![A Shaquille O'Neal (Shaq) quote graphic that reads: "IF YOU GO 72-11 AND DON’T WIN [THE CHAMPIONSHIP], IT DOESN’T MEAN ANYTHING."](https://homeschoolhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/ShaqQuotes_Quote_Championship_Compressed-1024x1024.jpg)
“If you go 72-11 and don’t win [the championship], it doesn’t mean anything.”
Shaq’s take? Records are cool, but the real prize is bringing home the championship. That’s the win that counts.
Find out: Who has the most rings in the NBA?
23. Actions Speak Louder
“When you’re righteous, you don’t have to tell people that you’re righteous.”
Shaq believes in walking the walk. If you’re doing good, there’s no need to shout it from the rooftops—people will see it.
24. Sometimes You Struggle
“Probably a lack of concentration. I always hit them during practice. I just need to concentrate. Even though I shoot a lousy percentage, I beat a lot of teams from the line. You have to have mechanics. But see, what people don’t know about my wrists is my wrists don’t go all the way back. My wrists are crooked and don’t go all the way back. I’ve been practicing and working on them. You can’t do everything good.”
Shaq gets real about his struggle with free throws, admitting he’s not perfect. It’s a lesson in not letting your weaknesses define you—keep practicing, keep improving.
FAQs
What is a famous quote from Shaq?
One of Shaq’s most famous quotes is: “I’m tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok.” He said it in 1996 following his decision to leave the Orlando Magic for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Related:
Shaquille O’Neal photo in featured image: By Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA – 00054165, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6224533
