69 Motivational Shaq Quotes On Success, Greatness, and Being Dominant
Dec 04, 2023
Inspirational quotes from "The Big Aristotle"
Shaquille O'Neal, better known as Shaq, is a name that really needs no introduction in the world of basketball.
Shaq was one of the greatest basketball players of all time and one of the most dominant. Standing at 7'1" and weighing over 300 pounds, Shaq was a force to be reckoned with.
During his 19-year career, Shaq played for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics.
He won four NBA championships, three with the Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002) and one with the Heat (2006).
Shaq's dominance on the court earned him the NBA Most Valuable Player award in 2000 and three NBA Finals MVP awards.
Beyond his dominance on the basketball court, Shaq is also known for his larger-than-life personality and his sense of humor (as you'll see in some most of these quotes).
Besides basketball, Shaq's career involves acting, music, and business. Today, Shaq serves as a sports analyst on television and he is actively involved in supporting various charitable causes and organizations and giving back to the community.
Enjoy this collection of motivational (and humorous) quotes on how to succeed, be a good leader, achieve greatness, and more from the man, the myth, the legend: Shaquille O'Neal.
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Best Shaquille O'Neal Quotes On Success
Shaq won four championships, an MVP, and a countless number of games throughout his NBA careers.
Off the court, he seems to succeed at everything he does. Whether it's being a TV analyst, DJ, or podcast host, it's safe to say that Shaq knows what it takes to be successful.
The following quotes provide lessons from Shaq on what it takes to succeed, both on and off the court.
1. "My father made me who I am. He gave me a basketball and told me to play with the ball, sleep with the ball, dream with the ball. Just don't take it to school. I used it as a pillow, and it never gave me a stiff neck."
2. "I'm a weird big guy. Doing rapping, doing movies. Do a lot of stuff. But always do things the right way."
3. "Generals don't panic; then the troops never panic."
4. "I never worry about the problem. I worry about the solution."
5. "I've always been a leader. Every team I've played on, I've led my way."
6. "We're just going to come out and play. We know that we're supposed to win all the games, but if we don't, we just have to take the next game and focus on what we did wrong in the game before and just try to do better at the next game."
7. "To all the young people out there who think money and fame is important: that’s only a small piece of the pie. You need an education to be totally secure in life. I feel very secure I can go get a real job now."
8. "I don't believe that I personally have been changed by the money. The bad thing is people assume you've changed because now you have money."
9. "Everything happens for a reason. I'm used to it, I prepare for it. Like I say, at the end of the day, those in charge of their own destiny are going to do what's right for them and their family."
10. "When you're righteous, you don't have to tell people that you're righteous."
11. "The day I stopped worrying about stats is the day I started winning."
12. "It is not about how much money you make. The question is are you educated enough to keep it."
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Inspirational Quotes From Shaq On Greatness
What separates the good players from the great ones?
Confidence, resilience, self-discipline and work ethic to name a few. Shaq had all of these qualities and more:
13. "And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is a famous basketball player. I want to really learn the business."
14. "For all my friends in the media who like quotes, mark this quote down. From this day on I'd like to be known as 'The Big Aristotle' because Aristotle once said, 'Excellence is not a singular act; it's a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.'"
15. "I don't get nervous in any situation. There's no such thing as nerves when you're playing games."
16. "I had an awful first quarter but I picked it up. To all you single guys out there, it's not how you start the date, it's how you finish it sir. A lot of people can, you know, start the date with flowers and candy, but if you don't finish the date - you know what I mean?"
17. "Challenge me. Treat me like a game of checkers and play me. That's all I'm asking, just play me. Treat me like Sega and play me."
18. "I want to be known as 'The Big Shakespeare.' It was Shakespeare that said, 'Some men are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them.'"
19. "I'm on a mission. And I know the older I get, I may lose a step or two, but it's all up in the medulla oblongata. I've got a lot up there. I've got a lot of knowledge... in this medulla oblongata."
20. "I was fortunate enough to see and handle and take in everything I could while I was playing."
21. "I do what I do. Always."
22. "When you're in championships, it's never about what you do. It's always about what other people do."
23. "I know how to turn the bad into good always."
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Shaq On Being Dominant
Shaquille O'Neal didn't just succeed on the court, he dominated. Domination is what made Shaq, Shaq.
From the sound of these quotes, Shaq's dominance wasn't just a by-product of his size. That certainly helped, but Shaq had it in his mind that he was going to dominate night in and night out.
He had a dominant mindset, his attitude was to dominate every game, every match-up, every situation that he found himself in.
24. "I want to be strong, dominant. Like Wilt Chamberlain."
25. "When I dunk, I put something on it. I want the ball to hit the floor before I do."
26. "That is why one day I said my game will be like the Pythagorean Theorem - hard to figure out. A lot of people really don't know the Pythagorean Theory. They don't make them like me anymore. They don't want to make them like that anymore."
27. "There is no answer to the Pythagorean theorem. Well, there is an answer, but by the time you figure it out, I got 40 points, 10 rebounds and then we're planning for the parade."
28. "I am Superman. And the only thing that can kill Superman is Kryptonite. And Kryptonite doesn’t exist."
29. "When you flop, that's just another message that you don't know how to play me. Stand up and take your medicine like a man."
30. "I’m dominant every night. I come in every night and get beat up. I never make a face when they try to flagrant or hack-a-Shaq me, because I’m not from this planet. Earthlings don’t faze me."
31. "Win or lose, I am programmed to do more. That’s because I am the other son of Jorel – Superman."
32. "We’re going to do it again next year. We’ll see you again next year. Yeah, I said it. Yeah, I said it. We will do it again next year."
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Best Quotes From Shaq About Basketball
33. "I'm tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok."
34. "This is a tough game. There are times when you've got to play hurt, when you've got to block out the pain."
35. "We want to win. We want to win big. We want to win the whole thing."
36. "I average 25 with three guys on me and they are just looking at stats I guess."
37. "One lucky shot deserves another."
38. "Me shooting 40% at the foul line is just God's way to say nobody's perfect. If I shot 90 percent from the line, it just wouldn’t be right"
39. "I guess people think the taller you are the more dominant you have to be."
40. "Probably a lack of concentration. I always hit them during practice. I just need to concentrate. Even though I shoot a lousy percentage, I beat a lot of teams from the line. You have to have mechanics. But see, what people don’t know about my wrists is my wrists don’t go all the way back. My wrists are crooked and don’t go all the way back. I’ve been practicing and working on them. You can’t do everything good."
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Shaq Quotes About Work Ethic
Through these quotes, Shaq emphasizes that he wasn't just given all the success he's attained throughout his career, he's earned it.
Part of his work ethic is using doubt and criticism as motivation, as fuel to work even harder and become even more dominate.
41. "But, hey I did everything the right way and earned my spot in this game, nothing was given to me."
42. "The only person who can really motivate you is you."
43. "My secret? See it, and stay focused on it."
44. "I really get motivated when I have doubters."
45. "I’m going to be on a mission. I’ve handled my personal vendettas and handled them well. Every challenge you put in front of me, I’ve handled it, dismantled it – ate them, dropped them off in the bathroom and flushed them away."
46. "I had to learn at an early age to turn criticism into motivation."
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Other Funny Quotes From Shaquille O'Neal
47. "I'm an unorthodox type of guy, a funny guy - at least I think I'm funny. And one of the things I like to do is come up with nicknames for myself."
48. "If I were a painter, you'd be calling me Shaqcasso."
49. "Kids can still call me Shaq, but adults should call me Dr. O'Neal."
50. "I'm like tax. You're going to pay one way or the other."
51. "David Stern should get with the mothers of the NBA and let the moms decide what the dress code should be. I asked my mother if I could wear a chain, and she told me yeah. So I do stuff that my parents allow me to do."
52. "Nobody's going to tell me how to be different, so stop asking me. Stop asking me what two plus two is. Everybody knows two plus two is five."
53. "When I tweet, I try and accomplish three things. One, is to make you laugh. Two, is to inform you. Three, is to enlighten you. That's all I do."
54. "I'm short and to the point."
55. "Pluto is not a planet, but I am."
56. "Y’all reporters like my quotes, don’t you. Yeah, my quotes are Shaqalicious."
57. "I’m a fun guy. I like to have fun, I like to laugh, and I like to make other people laugh."
58. "I don’t ever want to grow up. I guess I’m like Peter Pan. Grown-ups have problems. I want to stay happy."
59. "They shot the ball well early. What comes out of the microwave hot doesn’t always stay hot. I know, because I eat bagels in the morning."
60. "That’s sort of a trick question, and I don’t have a trick answer. Next question, please."
61. "I’m not worried about facing the Sacramento Queens. Write it down. Take a picture. I’m not going to talk about this all year. When I get back, there’s going to be trouble."
62. Shaq: "Kobe, there’s no ‘I’ in team.” Kobe: “I know. But there’s an ‘M-E’ in that m*********er.”
63. "I made a 1,600 minus 800 minus 200 on the SAT, so I’m very intelligent when I speak."
64. "Some things you just can’t question. Like you can’t question why two plus two is four. So don’t question it, don’t try to look it up. I don’t know who made it, all I know is it was put in my head that two plus two is four. So certain things happen. Why does it rain? Why am I so sexy? I don’t know."
65. "Word has it, they think I’m an old man, and they’re not gonna double me. My message is that I’m the baddest for my age bracketest. What I mean by age bracketest is that I came in at 20, I was the baddest 20, and I’m the baddest at 35."
66. "Opinions are like belly buttons; everybody has one. I never knock a man for his opinion."
67. "I’m like toilet paper, toothpaste and certain amenities – I’m proven to be good. I’ve still got 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 years left."
68. "I’m a combination of the Terminator and Bambi."
69. "If you don’t like me, there must be something wrong with you."
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