It seems that controversy doesn’t evade the great Shaquille O’Neal with the most recent one being him getting entangled with Instagram model, Maria Ozuna Teachey, who exposed their encounter on social media. Teachey had shared photos and videos of Big Shaq, which also included a specialty-crafted gift box and him sleeping on a hotel couch.
The controversy began when O’Neal denied being with Teachey, which then prompted the series of events that has shook the sporting world as she had to go public with evidence of their time together. The encounter reportedly spanned a weekend and included a hotel stay and backstage access at a concert.
While the reason behind her decision to expose O’Neal hasn’t been made known, it has however sparked a backlash, as she has been criticised for seeking attention and clout. On the other hand, Shaquille O’Neal, who is single and divorced, might feel he doesn’t have anything to lose but a blowback might lead to repercussions in his media career.
However, his future in the media world remains uncertain with no clear plans for his future with TNT losing its broadcast rights. Although, reports have it that he might be a target by rival network, Amazon when his contract ends with TNT.
Shaquille O’Neal shares how his father’s tough love shaped him
Shaquille O’Neal has constantly talked about how his father shaped him to be who he is today. Big Shaq was a guest on a recent episode of The OG’s show where he revealed a well-detailed story from his youth about how his father, Phillip Harrison, corrected him when he made a wrong decision.
According to DJ Diesel, his father slapped him in front of a packed gym after he attempted a jump shot instead of dunking. And according to him, it was a wake-up call that made him realize his unique gifts and strengths.
“I had 45 points in three quarters. So we were playing against little kids. We’re up by 40, and I wanted to work on my shot. I crossed a dude up at half-court, gave him a nice little move. My father walks on the court, in his Drill Sergeant ‘Call a timeout.’ He grabs me by my collar, takes me outside. ‘What you doing?’ I say man I am working on my, (gets slapped on the head)”
Shaquille O’Neal on the OG’s Show
He once revealed that as a teenager, he admired Magic Johnson and wanted to play with the kind of finesse displayed by the Lakers legend. However, thanks to his disciplinary father he had to embrace his size, strength, and the rest is history as Shaq ended his career with four NBA championships and a place in basketball history as a Hall of Famer.
