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With a reported net worth of $400 million, legendary NBA center Shaquille O’Neal is living proof that money doesn’t buy happiness.
Over President’s Day weekend, a clip of Shaq speaking with Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce on his The Big Podcast went viral, but not for positive reasons, as sports fans came away largely concerned about the 51-year-old Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer.
In the clip, Shaq is seen telling Kelce to “enjoy his family” and not make the same “dumb mistakes” he did.
“My advice to you is, if you are going to retire, accept it, enjoy your family, brother. I made a lot of dumb mistakes to where I lost my family and I didn’t have anybody,” Shaq tells Kelce at the start of the clip.
“That’s not the case for you so enjoy your beautiful wife, enjoy your beautiful kids, and never dwell on what we had. What we had is what we got — you got the ring, people know who you are — enjoy. Because, again, I was an idiot. And I’ve talked about it a long time. Lost my whole family. I’m in a 100,000-square-foot house by myself,” he says.
Shaq giving Jason Kelce advice on retirement 🫡
pic.twitter.com/Sj4xlsoPxQ— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) February 17, 2024
The comments from the Big Aristotle left many sports fans concerned about him, hoping he is seeking help to address these feelings of regret.
“I hope Shaq is okay. He seems like such a genuine and decent man. His charitability and kindness towards children always make me smile. He brings joy to so many people, and I hope he can find joy one day too,” one Twitter user said.
“I’m glad Shaq is honest about his failings as a husband and encourages other men to appreciate the importance of family,” tweeted another.
I really hope Shaq is seeing a therapist. He sounds so regretful, so lonely. https://t.co/6hwDAYd474
— Joel D. Anderson 🆓 (@byjoelanderson) February 17, 2024
Shaq has only bee married once and that was to Shaunie Nelson from 2002 to 2011. The pair had four children together.