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NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal dominated the NBA throughout most of his 19-year career, making 15 All-Star teams. However, toward the end of his career, the big man was a shell of himself. According to O'Neal, his late-career struggles led him to disregard the $1.5 million the Boston Celtics owed him out of guilt.
On "The Old Man and the Three" podcast with former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick, O'Neal touched on the "grieving period" athletes face upon retirement. The former MVP noted that his grieving process started when he realized he was no longer a star.
"Not being 'him,'" O'Neal said. "'Him' is 28 [points] and 10 [rebounds]."
O'Neal signed a two-year, $2.75 million contract with Boston in 2010. He averaged a career-low 9.2 points per game over 37 outings during the first year of his deal (2010-11 season). Afterward, he declined his Year 2 player option, retiring during the 2011 offseason.
According to O'Neal, not living up to his contract and disappointing fans filled him with shame. So, when the Celtics called about owing him $1.5 million, he didn't want to take their money.
"[I] f **king averaged nine points in Boston," O'Neal said. "I felt like I was robbing the people. I felt so bad that when they called me back and said, 'Hey man, we owe you $1.5 [million],' I said, 'F**king keep it. Keep it. I'm not coming up there to average six points. No.'"
Shaquille O'Neal on when he realized he was no longer himself
Later in his podcast appearance, Shaquille O'Neal recounted the moment he realized he was no longer his regular dominant self.
According to the four-time NBA champion, he began coping with the fact that he wasn't a premier player anymore during his first All-Star Game snub. If not for the 1999 All-Star Game being canceled due to the 1998-99 lockout-shortened season, O'Neal likely would have made 15 consecutive All-Star teams from 1993 to 2007.
The 2007-08 season, in which O'Neal played for the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns, marked his first time missing out on receiving an All-Star selection. O'Neal noted that he pretended the snub didn't bother him, even though he was offended. He added that after that, a series of late-career injuries exacerbated his decline.
"It first hit me when I didn't make the All-Star team," O'Neal said. "I had to act like, 'Oh, I don't want to play,' but I'm like, 'Bro, I dominated the All-Star Game for 12 or 13 years in a row, and now, I don't get no f**king votes.' So, that part kind of messed me up, and then, being injured and not playing and not having anything to do."
Despite his steep late-career downswing, O'Neal retired as one of the NBA’s all-time most accomplished players, getting inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
