Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Shaquille O’Neal looks on before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks in game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Having won four NBA championships, and three Finals MVPs alongside so many more accolades, there is no doubt that Shaquille O’Neal has done some incredible things.

Nobody could’ve predicted this kind of success before he started to show his affinity for it.

Nobody, except the Lakers legend’s grandmother apparently, something Lucille O’Neal (Shaq’s mother) shockingly revealed very recently.

As Lucille revealed on The Today Show, she was informed of her son’s greatness long before anyone could have seen even the faintest of signs of it. Speaking on how her mother was the one who prophesized this, she said,

“It was my mother that said, ‘That one right there.’ She pointed at Shaquille and said, ‘That one right there, he is some kind of special.’ I didn’t know what that meant back then but he is something kind of special.”

Lucille O’Neal saw her son’s talents on the basketball court and what he could do with them later on.

And true to his grandmother’s words Shaquille O’Neal went on to achieve much more than anyone could’ve ever imagined

An enormous presence on the basketball, and an even bigger one off it, Shaquille O’Neal certainly was, and is “special”.

As Lucille mentioned, she wasn’t aware of what her mother meant when she referred to Shaq as special.

Still, every person who achieves greatness has something that pushes them to go that extra mile to grab success. What was it for Shaquille O’Neal?

Shaquille O’Neal’s inspiration & motivation

Growing up, Shaquille O’Neal had his fair share of hardships. Though he was well looked after by his stepfather, Philip A. Harrison, the financial circumstances he found himself in pushed him to be better.

Like any child growing up in a rough environment, a young Shaq had become aware of what his mother and grandmother sacrificed to make ends meet.

And like any child who makes the NBA after going through trials and tribulations early, Shaq did everything he did for his mother and grandmother.

Shaq even mentioned how seeing the two women struggle pushed him to be the best version of himself and ensure the pair would never have to struggle again.

“I used to be so upset at our circumstances…My mother is my favorite person in this world and I’ve seen her at times, break down and cry. And I was like, ‘You know what? As the man of the house, I gotta change it.’” [per The Graham Bensinger Show]

Shaq’s larger-than-life personality was built on the backs of the two most important women in his life. And it is because of them that not only is he beyond wealthy, but also a man with a massive heart today.