"I’m killing somebody" - Shaquille O'Neal debunks myth around him revealing his pre-game routine

Shaquille O'Neal wasn’t the healthiest player in the league, even when he was the best player in the league. In his prime years, when he was with the Orlando Magic and the LA Lakers, Shaq never followed the routine that NBA players were expected to in order to remain in their best shape.

Despite not really having an NBA body, nothing stopped Shaquille O'Neal from dominating on the court. Over the years, he established himself as arguably the most dominant player in NBA history. But did he have a routine that would be conventionally called discipline? The answer is no!

On the latest episode of his “The Big Podcast with Shaq”, the NBA legend was joined by Allen Iverson. Shaquille O'Neal said that NBA players having a proper routine was a myth. He revealed that he never had a sleep routine that usual NBA players had.

“That's a myth. I never go to bed early. Ever since 18 years old, I have never went to bed before 12…That was my thing. Stay out all night, right? Just four, get up at 10, go to shoot around, message around come back, 2:30 club, fries and a pineapple soda and then I sleep for four hours. That's what I need before the game.

“Like if I get that there hours before the game, no matter what I did the night before, I’m killing somebody,” Shaq added.

There is nothing that should be taken away from the greatness of the four-time NBA champion. However, Shaq could have done a better job of taking care of himself.

Once his teammate in LA, Kobe Bryant said that, if Shaq had his work ethic, he might have been the “greatest player of all time.” In an alternate world, maybe if Shaq had that, he would have been the basketball GOAT.

Shaquille O'Neal says Allen Iverson was the reason behind his tattoos

Allen Iverson was the reason behind the tattoo revolution in the NBA. It would be untrue to say that Iverson was the first NBA player to have a tattoo. But he certainly was the first player who made having tattoos the thing to do.

In the latest episode of “The Big Podcast”, Shaquille O'Neal gave props to “The Answer." Shaq told the former Philadelphia 76ers star that he was the reason behind him having tattoos on his body.

“I always rocked the chains, but when we saw him [Iverson] took all the battles for us, I’m tatted because of you. My whole body is tatted because of you. … After he did it, people just accepted it.”

Iverson and Shaquille O'Neal came into the league when Michael Jordan was still dominating the league. Though Iverson didn't win any championship in his career, he established himself as one of the greatest to ever play basketball. Iverson was a cultural icon who made tattoos and braids look cool.

Shaquille O'Neal won four championships in his 19-year NBA career. He won three titles with the LA Lakers and one with the Miami Heat. Iverson and Shaq played against each other in the 2001 NBA Finals. Shaq and the Lakers defeated Iverson and the 76ers in five games.