Standing more than seven feet tall with size 22 feet, there’s nothing small about Shaquille O’Neal. However, his name actually means “Little Warrior.”
O’Neal talked about the origin of his name on Oprah’s “Master Class,” which airs on OWN and gives people a look inside the minds of “modern masters” who are making an impact on the world.
As for what O’Neal said?
“My mother is my best friend. My mother had me when she was very young. Her mother was so religious that when she had me out of wedlock, the family kind of turned a cold shoulder. So we were alone for a while, just going from place to place.
“One day I finally asked my mother, I said, ‘We have Brians and Kennys and Mikes and Gregs in our family, why did you name me Shaquille?’ She said, ‘I wanted to name you something that meant something.’
As for why O’Neal went on the show, part of the reason was to make his mom happy.
“Oprah Winfrey is my mother’s favorite lady,” he said. “When my mother watches this, she’s going to have the biggest smile ever. That’s what it’s all about. Any son that doesn’t try to make his mother smile, you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself.”
The episode airs Saturday, Sept. 16 at 10:00 p.m. ET.
O’Neal is in the news for another reason, too. He stopped by the Lawrenceville Police Department in Georgia Thursday to surprise officers and staff who have been extremely busy tending to emergency calls related to Hurricane Irma.
According to the department’s Twitter feed, O’Neal dropped in to film a public service announcement on distracted driving, and posed for photos along the way.
Shaquille O’Neal was at #LawrencevillePD filming a PSA on distracted driving. A good break after a long week of #Irma emergency calls #LESM pic.twitter.com/hkJmr3SJBZ
— Lawrenceville Police (@LawrencevillePD) September 14, 2017
“After a very long few days of responding to Hurricane Irma emergency calls, it was a nice quick break for a photo,” the department wrote on Facebook.
O’Neal told The Washington Post, he plans to run for sheriff in Henry County, Georgia in 2020.
“The gap between law enforcement and communities is too spread out,” he said. “When I was coming up, police were real respected. I don’t know how it’s gotten so far apart, but I know in the community that I live in, I know that I could change some of that.”
More than just a basketball player or analyst, this gentle giant is making an impact in places far greater than the hardwood.