"Athlete means different things ... That was the hardest s**t I have done in my life" - Shaquille O'Neal gives an inspiring speech about why e-Sports players should be considered athletes

Shaquille O'Neal is one of the greatest players in NBA history. He's one of the most gifted players in the sport, so he knows what it means to be an athlete. However, what does he think about e-Sports players? Can they be considered athletes?

In an interview with Jack Lucky of Full Squad Gaming, the LA Lakers legend was asked about this thoughts on e-Sports players. O'Neal praised them for their dedication to their craft and pointed out that they are athletes who use their minds. He also noted that he cannot do what e-Sports players can. O'Neal said:

"I wanna commend you guys, and I am proud of you guys. Athlete means different things, but athlete means here (the mind). ... So the things you guys go through, that's why you don't really have a long life shelf. It's what? 3 to 5 to 6 years? It's the same thing with the NBA and NFL. Yes, you guys are athletes. If you say you guys are athletes, I believe you because I can't do what you do."

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Shaquille O'Neal went on to share the tough things he did on his show "Shaq Vs." O'Neal went on to challenge Dale Earnhardt to a race, and also went swimming with Michael Phelps. He said:

"I did a show; it was called 'Shaq Vs.' When I went to race with Dale Earnhardt, that was the hardest s**t I've ever done in my life. I'm sitting in the car, and we were out there. Bro, my body was so sore. I was like, 'God damn.' When I went to swim against Michael Phelps, 15% of the game was physical. Everything else is mental."

Other athletes O'Neal challenged on his show include NFL quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, MLB star Albert Pujols and legendary boxer Oscar De La Hoya. "Shaq Vs." lasted just two seasonsm from 2009 to 2010.

Shaquille O'Neal invested in e-Sports team

Shaquille O'Neal is a Hall of Fame center with four NBA championships.

Shaquille O'Neal was one of the first well-known athletes to invest in e-Sports teams in 2016. He invested in NRG Esports, as he loved the atmosphere of an e-Sports event held at the Staples Center. O'Neal's kids were the ones who introduced him to it.

In an interview with the Washington Post last year, O'Neal revealed that he does not follow e-Sports but would love to experience it more. The four-time NBA champion has a busy schedule, so he has no extra time to play games like "Call of Duty." He said:

"I must admit, I do not watch any of the games. I do keep up with NRG, and who's hot, what they're doing. But, you know, I got a lot of other stuff going on. At some point, I would like to like just sit down and take a couple of weeks off and jus,t you know, especially like 'Call of Duty'. I always wanted to play 'Call of Duty,' but never really had an opportunity or the chance."