Latest news with #Kazaam
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"Don't call me that anymore" - Shaquille O'Neal explains why he wants people to stop treating him like a celebrity
Shaquille O'Neal is hard to miss. His 7'1" frame instantly shifts the air in a room. His presence arrives before he even says a word. Add to that the legacy of a four-time NBA champion, three-time Finals MVP, and one of the most dominant forces the league has ever seen, and it's no wonder people treat him like larger-than-life royalty. He's been the face of Nike campaigns, TNT broadcasts, Hollywood cameos, and every brand in between. But O'Neal himself doesn't want that label. No celebrity tag Although the Los Angeles icon has a stacked NBA resume and a booming broadcast career, "Big Diesel" doesn't want to be associated with or seen as a celebrity. Advertisement "I don't want to be in that category," he said. "Celebrities are crazy, they really are. Don't call me that anymore. These people are out of their freaking mind with how they treat people, what they do, what they say. That's never been me. I never want to be looked at like that." It's a surprising sentiment, considering how entrenched the one-time MVP is in the media space. After all, this is the man who danced his way through Pepsi commercials in the '90s, starred in films like Blue Chips and Kazaam and carved out a post-retirement lane as one of television's most entertaining sports analysts on Inside the NBA. But even with all the flashing lights and booming endorsements, O'Neal has no interest in being seen as part of the same culture, which he says has gone off the rails. The Hall of Famer was never a typical flashy superstar. On the court, he was brutal. A 325-pound juggernaut who shattered backboards ran the floor like a locomotive and forced teams to hack him just to slow him down. Over a 19-year career, he racked up 28,596 points, 13,099 rebounds and 15 All-Star appearances. Off the court, he often defied the stereotypes — opting to finish his college degree at LSU in 2000, then later earning an MBA and even a doctorate in education. Advertisement But the public perception hasn't always kept up with the man behind the smile. And that's where the tension lies. To many, O'Neal is a celebrity because he fits the bill — fame, money, charisma, mass appeal. But to him, "celebrity" carries a darker connotation: entitlement, eccentricity, detachment from reality. He's seen enough of it to want no part. That mindset didn't develop overnight. The four-time NBA champion grew up in a military-style household led by his stepfather, Sergeant Phillip Harrison, who preached discipline, humility, and service. Even at the height of his basketball fame, he never lost touch with the grounding forces that shaped him. Related: "He's Mr. Discipline, Mr. Straight, Mr. Conservative" - Dennis Rodman admits Gregg Popovich was "the big problem" in San Antonio O'Neal's perception "Big Diesel" would rather be remembered for doing good for society. The real legacy he wants to leave behind isn't tied to stats, trophies, or showbiz success. It's in the lives he's touched, the strangers he's helped, and the communities he's tried to uplift without seeking attention. Advertisement "All my life, everyone probably gets stereotyped, but us celebrities, we get stereotyped because most of these celebrities are out of their mind," Shaq said. "I don't do that. I'm a regular person that listened, followed his dreams and made it." Whether it's secretly paying off a struggling family's bill at a furniture store, buying a laptop for a kid in need, gifting kids Nintendo or Playstation, or covering the funeral costs for strangers who never expected his help, O'Neal shows up without cameras rolling. These aren't publicity stunts. They're quiet gestures of someone who knows how far a little kindness can go. In 2021, he made headlines for helping a young man buy an engagement ring for his girlfriend after overhearing his dilemma at a jewelry store. He didn't ask for a thank you. He didn't want a viral moment. He just saw someone trying their best and decided to step in. Advertisement His philanthropic reach goes far beyond one-off moments. He has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, served as a national spokesperson for The Shaquille O'Neal Foundation and used his platform to support underprivileged communities across the country. For him, making money is easy — making an impact is the real calling. Related: "I tell them all the time. We ain't rich. I'm rich" - Shaquille O'Neal on giving his kids a harsh lesson about earning their own wealth
USA Today
04-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Luka Doncic needs to transform himself the way Shaq once did
Luka Doncic needs to transform himself the way Shaq once did After landing one of the greatest talents of his generation, the Los Angeles Lakers were instantly expected to become championship contenders again after being in purgatory for quite a while. It had been five years since they last reached the NBA Finals, but his arrival gave fans a sense of hope and excitement that they hadn't possessed in a while. Their new superstar had recently reached the finals with his previous team, and expectations were high right away. But the Lakers fell well short of expectations and lost early in the playoffs, four games to one, to a veteran team that manhandled them in the physicality department and greatly outplayed them in crunch time. People started to doubt that superstar. They said he was fat and lazy, not to mention emotionally immature, and that he lacked the dedication needed to win an NBA championship. Was it Luka Doncic? No, it was Shaquille O'Neal, the Hall of Famer who joined the Lakers in the great free agent acquisition of 1996. O'Neal had already established himself as a unicorn in four previous seasons with the Orlando Magic. But despite having a strong cast around him in L.A., the Lakers collapsed in the playoffs in each of his first three seasons with them. It led many to blast O'Neal for not taking care of his body while accusing him of caring more about making rap albums and critically panned movies such as "Kazaam" than he did about basketball. But in 1999, O'Neal got with the program and transformed himself by showing more dedication to his craft. As a result, he immediately won three straight world titles and went from a great player to a legendary one. O'Neal had just completed his seventh pro season, just as Doncic has. Thus, Doncic is at a similar inflection point right now after losing in last year's NBA Finals and getting bounced in five games by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of this year's playoffs. How O'Neal went from a pretender to a champion In 1999, Phil Jackson, who had coached the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles, became the Lakers' head coach. He had transformed Michael Jordan from an individual, self-focused superstar into arguably the greatest player ever, and O'Neal was eager to learn the secrets of true greatness from him. Jeff Pearlman, the author who wrote an excellent book on those Lakers teams entitled "Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the crazy years of the Lakers dynasty," recounted the moment that started O'Neal's transformation shortly after Jackson was hired. Via HoopsHype: "No one was more euphoric than O'Neal, whose first seven years in the NBA were spent under five different head coaches – none of much note. Jackson and his new center chatted via phone shortly after the press conference but didn't meet until several weeks later. That was when O'Neal, visiting Kalispell, Montana, for a concert to promote his fourth studio album, Respect, decided to take the 10-mile drive to Jackson's home in Flathead Lake. "... When Jackson arrived, he was greeted by O'Neal gazing at the championship trophies. It was a scene out of a corny sports movie – the glory-deprived star staring longingly at a pane of glass as the sunlight's reflection creates a holy glow. 'You know,' Jackson said, 'you can get one of those if you listen to me.' "'I believe you,' O'Neal replied." Jackson, who is known for indirectly sending messages to his players, instantly sent one to O'Neal and let him know what achieving true glory would take. "'But before we start,' Jackson said, 'I could use your help with something.' "'Okay, Coach,' O'Neal said. 'Name it.' "He walked his new center toward the edge of his property, which ran adjacent to a lake. An enormous fallen tree was lying along the shore, and Jackson needed it relocated. He tied a rope around one end and attached the other end to his boat. 'He's there pulling it with the boat,' O'Neal re-called, 'and I'm pushing the tree.' "Jackson told O'Neal to hang on to the tree, so he did – as the boat kept going and going. It distanced itself from the shore – 'and then I had to swim back from this damn island,' O'Neal recalled. 'It was far – I don't know how far, but it was far. And you know what I'm thinking? This man is challenging me.'" Indeed, Jackson challenged O'Neal to get into better shape than he had been in. "Later on, Jackson looked over the 350-pound goliath standing before him. Frustrated by one lost season after another, O'Neal spent the summer lifting weights, watching what he ate, ingesting creatine and other supplements. "'I was huge,' he said. 'Solid bulk.' "'How much you weigh?' Jackson asked. "I don't know,' O'Neal replied. "'I want you to lose about 15 pounds,' Jackson said. 'The bigger you are, the harder it's gonna be on your knees, and I want you playing 40 minutes a game.' "'Okay,' O'Neal replied. "With that, Shaquille O'Neal departed the property and, soon enough, found himself back in Los Angeles, trying to shed the weight and prepare for what he believed would be the season of his life. "He would not regret it." O'Neal would average 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.0 blocks a game that season and win his first and only league MVP award. He had previously treated defense almost the way high school students treat homework, but he was a consistent force on that end all season long, and he anchored a Lakers team defense that was the best in the land. Considering the way NBA basketball was played back then — most teams walked the ball upcourt and played as slowly as possible on every possession with minimal ball and player movement — it was likely the greatest individual season any man has ever had in basketball history. With help from an emerging superstar guard named Kobe Bryant, O'Neal led the Lakers to the first of three straight world championships that season. The man who had been lambasted as someone who had never won a big game and would never get over the hump was now considered basketball royalty. That is the type of greatness that could lie ahead for Doncic if he decides to totally dedicate himself to his craft. Multiple MVP awards, NBA championships and finals MVP awards, not to mention his No. 77 jersey hanging on the wall of Arena, are things he can achieve if he starts to work hard and work smart like O'Neal did in the summer of 1999. He has — at least for now — his co-superstar in LeBron James, just as O'Neal did in Bryant. He and James could have a much better supporting cast when the team reconvenes for training camp at the end of this summer. They could very well have a good enough head coach in JJ Redick — no, he isn't Jackson or Pat Riley, but he did better than many expected as a rookie head coach this season. Doncic may be skilled enough and smart enough to shoot 50% from the field, 40% from 3-point range and 90% from the free throw line for at least one full season if he puts his mind to it. He doesn't have to become an outstanding defender, but if he gets into better shape and drops some weight — as O'Neal did going into his MVP season — he can at least be a neutral one-on-one defender, which may be good enough considering how incredible he is on the other end of the court. He seems to have at least some of that "Mamba Mentality" when it comes to making plays in crunch time and gutting it out while dealing with injuries. Now the Lakers need him to take things to the next level. If he does, he will be eternally grateful he did once it's all said and done.
Forbes
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
NYT Mini Crossword Hints, Clues Answers For Sunday, April 19
In case you missed Saturday's NYT Mini, you can find the answers here: Wondering what Hyundai electric car might have a creatively spelled name? Not sure which hoops legend has size 22 shoes? Don't worry, because I'm here to help you with some extra clues and the answers for today's NYT Mini crossword. The NYT Mini is a quick and dirty version of the newspaper's larger and long-running crossword. Most days, there are between three and five clues in each direction on a five by five grid, but the puzzles are sometimes larger, especially on Saturdays. Unlike its larger sibling, the NYT Mini crossword is free to play on the New York Times website or NYT Games app. However, you'll need an NYT Games subscription to access previous puzzles in the archives. To help you avoid getting stuck and having to reveal missing letters, here are the NYT Mini Crossword hints, clues and answers for Sunday, April 19: Spoilers lie ahead, so remember to scroll slowly: 1 Across: Chatting with fluency but in a superficial way 5 Across: A circle dance of originated in Romania and Israel 6 Across: Get lost! 8 Across: Like a line in a song, but with the last letter changed 9 Across: The star of the movie Kazaam. Also famously feuded with Kobe Bryant 1 Down: Accra is the capital 2 Down: Not quite a genius 3 Down: The so-called cradle of civilization 4 Down: San Francisco ___ Area 6 Down: Short for geographic information system 7 Down: The sound you might make when you see fireworks 1 Across: Speaking confidently but dishonestly – GLIB 5 Across: Traditional dance at a Jewish wedding – HORA 6 Across: "Scram!" – GO AWAY 8 Across: Hyundai electric car with a creatively spelled name – LYRIQ 9 Across: Hoops legend with size 22 shoes – SHAQ 1 Down: Africa's largest exporter of gold – GHANA 2 Down: Score that's nowhere near Mensa-worthy – LOW IQ FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder 3 Down: Baghdad's country – IRAQ 4 Down: Loading area for trucks – BAY 6 Down: Army soldiers, for short – GIS 7 Down: ___ and aah – OOH It took me 1:57 to complete today's NYT Mini. Hmph, that's a pretty slow time for a regular Mini, so I don't love that! I didn't get either of the first two answers from the jump, while I thought 6 Across might have been 'get out.' I don't know a ton about cars, but I do occasionally write about them at my other gig, so I was able to extract LYRIQ from my memory bank after a little thought. SHAQ was a straightforward one too. It was pretty fun that we had four answers that all end in 'q' today, which helped make LOW IQ and IRAQ easy. After BAY, it was a case of filling in the blanks. See you tomorrow for more NYT Mini fun! Make sure to follow my blog for more coverage of the NYT Mini and other word games, as well as video game news, insights and analysis. It helps me out a lot! Want to chat about the Mini, Connections and other NYT games? Join my Discord community!
