"Nerds & geeks are very cool people” - Shaquille O'Neal reveals 'a geek' transformed his shyness & self-doubt

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal was known for his confidence on the basketball court. With his sheer size and talent alone, O'Neal can intimidate his opponents quickly, making himself feel confident afterward. But according to the former star, that wasn't always the case.

It's known that Shaq exudes confidence each time he steps foot on the court. Off the court, his confidence tends to skyrocket as he uses his wit and humor to stand out.

The former LA Lakers big man shared with Graham Bensinger a story of how he became confident in his skin. According to Shaq, he experienced it during his days in high school, when he was struggling with his studies.

"Shaq-will, sasquatch, big African, cause I stuttered when I talk, big dummy. I was always shy, I would look at you and I would look at your test scores and you'd probably a 90 or 80," Shaq told Bensinger. "I was intimidated by that. I was like, 'I'm not that smart, I can't do it.' I was very, very shy. I always had self doubts about myself, just never thought I could do anything.

"A geek saved my life. Junior year in high school, right before the state tournament. I got a 68, I got one test left. Everyboody's bullying this guy, I came to his aid, so I'm like, 'Listen, you mess with McDougal, you mess with me.' I didn't really know him.

"He came to the lunch table and was like, 'Man, appreciate it. I hear you're having some problems in government I can help you out.' So everyday after school he'd tutor me, and the way he tutored me was kind of easy... He helped me out. I realized that nerds and geeks are very cool people."

O'Neal also said he learned a valuable life lesson about how not to judge others for who they are and what they do.

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Shaquille O'Neal would always encourage Jason Richardson

There was a time in Shaquille O'Neal's career when he played for the Phoenix Suns. At that time, Jason Richardson was still on the team and had a chance to play alongside the legend. According to Richardson, Shaq was encouraging as a teammate.

While known as the funny guy on the team, Shaq knows when to dial it down. The two-time Slam Dunk champion shared on the Knuckleheads Podcast about how O'Neal would always tell his teammates what to do to help the team succeed.

They only played 55 games together, but Shaq's veteran presence helped Richardson grow as a player.