“Never like to let my mom down,” Shaquille O’Neal told Graham Bensinger once. He has always made an effort to keep his promises! When leaving LSU in hopes of having a stellar career in the NBA, he promised his mother that he would return to complete his education. The first was kept and then it was time for the second. After winning a title with the Lakers in 2002, he returned to resume his education. And to this day, he has been adding accolades, titles, and degrees to his resume. His latest one at an HBCU is a new chapter in his career. However, this might even leave TNT for a big risk as O’Neal made the declaration.
To keep his promise, O’Neal returned to LSU and earned his Bachelor’s degree in General Studies. Following this, he also received his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. And by the end of his NBA career, he had already earned a Doctorate in Education from Barry University. It would be wrong to assume that he has put a stop to learning. He will be an assistant GM for Sacramento State this year, as well as pursue a new course at HBCU Alabama State University.
And Shaq is thrilled about the opportunity. While the name of his course is not known, it might be related to business. During the TNT show, he alluded that he wants to become a teacher and guide students through courses on mentorship and business leadership. “From now on, I would like to be addressed as Professor O’Neal. When I graduate in two years, I will leave you and become a college professor on mentorship and business administration” O’Neal said.
This won’t be Shaq’s first stint with an HBCU. Earlier, in his show The Big Podcast, O’Neal revealed how an HBCU helped him out during his graduation. “It was an HBCU that helped me graduate from LSU,” he said, revealing that he did his classes at Southern University. Not to forget the fun element, he was excited for it as well.
Shaquille O’Neal with mother Lucille O’Neal
While he regretted not being able to attend an HBCU himself, he takes immense pride in the fact that his son, Shaqir, was part of the HBCU Florida A&M before transferring to Sacramento State. O’Neal has continuously been involved in several initiatives to contribute to HBCUs and help elevate them. Now, it seems that he has found a new, fun way to continue helping people as well as like his mother does.
Did Shaquille O’Neal’s mother complete her education?
We all know how O’Neal’s mother was dedicated to ensuring the former NBA player completed his education. It was her dream. However, at some point, Lucille O’Neal realized that she, too, had missed out on one opportunity. She had O’Neal when she was very young, at the age of 17, so Lucille couldn’t complete her education.
But the most inspiring detail about O’Neal’s mother is that she never lost hope. After the former Laker rose to fame, she decided to resume her education. For this Ms. O’Neal, who had always depended on her own earnings, asked for her son’s help. On the Raising Fame podcast, O’Neal recounted the conversation he had with his mother about her education.
“I got a call one night. She said, ‘Baby, I need to borrow some money’. I said, ‘Why?’. She said, ‘I wanna go to school’… So, I was like, ‘Mom, you don’t need to go to school’. She said, ‘No, I need to do this for myself,’” the Los Angeles Lakers legend said.
O’Neal, who wanted his mother to live without pressure, ultimately understood what she was asking for. Ms. O’Neal enrolled in Bethune-Cookman University’s adult education program. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in 2003. After that, she pursued a postgraduate course at the University of Phoenix. By March 2005, she had earned her Master of Arts in Organizational Management.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Lucille O’Neal set an example for all those who think there’s a limit to learning, and her son was one of the many who was inspired by her.
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