"There's only 20 people I cared about in the NBA" - Shaquille O'Neal on why he barely made friendships in his 19-year NBA career

Yahoo

07-05-2025

Shaquille O'Neal walked into the NBA with a scowl and a mission. No smiles. No handshakes, just for show. The league was a battleground, and his imposing presence was all he needed.
He didn't want to keep so many friends. It wasn't personal; it was about business — about establishing a legacy too colossal for compromise. O'Neal's approach stood in sharp contrast to the modern NBA, where players vacation together, launch brands together, and sometimes plot trades behind closed doors.
O'Neal's circle
In his prime through the 1990s and 2000s, the competition was fierce, almost territorial. Respect was earned through bruises, not brunches. For O'Neal, there was a small circle — and only a small circle of those who managed to pierce the armor.
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"It's only 20 people that I cared about in the NBA," O'Neal said. "A lot of youngsters."
The four-time champion mentioned Jason Williams, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Quentin Richardson, Darius Miles, Gary Payton, and Grant Hill among his small circle.
Each name tells a story. Payton, famously gritty and famously vocal, was O'Neal's teammate on the 2006 Miami Heat squad that captured an NBA title. That bond, created in battle and crowned with a championship, reflected the kind of relationship the center valued.
Hill represented another thread; a man who carried himself with grace, battled injuries with stoic dignity, and whose game O'Neal respected enough to break through the professional detachment.
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Youngsters like Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson embodied a new energy O'Neal admired. They were players who carried themselves with the brashness of the streets but the polish of the hardwood. They didn't just play the game but lived it fearlessly and authentically.
Even Carter and McGrady, with their showy artistry, had a way of gaining O'Neal's rare personal approval. It wasn't about flash; it was about heart. But beyond those few, the league remained just a vast sea of competitors.
Related: Tim Duncan said Robert Horry didn't care until everything was at stake: "He doesn't show up, doesn't feel like playing until it's a big game"
Legacy before bonds
The approach worked. 28,596 career points, 13,099 rebounds, 2,732 blocks. An MVP award in 2000. 15 NBA All-Star selections. No asterisks, no regrets.
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From the day he was drafted first overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992, O'Neal moved like a man who understood that real friendship often came after the wars were over, not during. That mentality carried him through his historic stints with the Magic and Lakers — where he built one of the most famous dynasties alongside Kobe Bryant — and later with the Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics.
The friction that occasionally defined his professional relationships, notably with Bryant during their Lakers tenure, wasn't a bug. It was the system working as designed. O'Neal was looking for a brotherhood and built an empire of accomplishments.
In an NBA that increasingly leaned into camaraderie, the four-time champion remained a throwback to an older breed — men like Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas, who demanded respect before friendship. This style brought both glory and isolation.
Related: "If I get a day off and come get 40 like I used to, they don't have a problem with it" - Shaq on why he has issues when people say he didn't work hard