Throughout a reside episode of The Huge Podcast with Shaq, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal shared a stunning element about his tutorial journey. In the course of the summer season, he attended lessons at Southern College, an HBCU, to meet his commencement necessities from Louisiana State College (LSU). This revelation reveals O’Neal’s connection to traditionally Black faculties and universities, regardless of by no means being a full-time pupil at one.
When requested by an HBCU graduate what he does to help HBCUs, Shaq responded with an untold story about his transient time as an HBCU pupil.
“I at all times supported. It was an HBCU that helped me graduate from LSU. Lots of people don’t know the story, however I needed to switch to Southern for summer season college. So it, I imply, I’ve at all times been a giant supporter.”
HBCU Summer time College
O’Neal left LSU early to pursue his NBA profession however promised his mom and then-LSU head coach Dale Brown he would full his diploma. He fulfilled that promise in 2000, incomes a Bachelor of Arts on the whole research with a minor in political science. Shaq’s summer season as an HBCU pupil had a lingering impact, as he fondly recalled the sensation of being on an HBCU campus.
“Going there, the flavour, the sensation—like, generally I sit and I say, ‘Man, I want I might’ve went to an HBCU. As a result of I went to the HBCU event when it was in Atlanta a pair weeks in the past. And the DJs, the tradition, the band, the cheerleaders—it’s simply enjoyable. And I’m a extremely large supporter of HBCUs.” In March, Shaq confirmed up in Atlanta on the SWAC basketball event to help his son and the FAMU Rattlers and his former teammate, Mo Williams, now the top coach at Jackson State College.
The O’Neal household’s ties to HBCUs prolong past Shaquille. His son, Shaqir O’Neal, has made vital strides in HBCU basketball. Initially committing to Texas Southern College in 2021, hoping to “change the narrative” round HBCU hoops, Shaqir later transferred to Florida A&M College (FAMU) in 2024. At FAMU, he recorded his first collegiate double-double in the course of the 2024-2025 season earlier than transferring to Sacramento State, the place his father will function this system’s common supervisor beneath first-year head coach Mike Bibby.
Shaqir’s athletic prowess was additional highlighted when a robust dunk earned him a spot on ESPN’s SportsCenter Prime Ten Performs—drawing nationwide consideration to FAMU’s basketball program.
By means of private expertise and his son’s rising athletic profession, Shaquille O’Neal is utilizing his voice to redefine the narrative round HBCUs, displaying that these historic establishments aren’t only a proud a part of his previous however a robust pressure in shaping the longer term.
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