NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has had a stellar career as a professional basketball player. He had the money, the fame, and everything that came with being a superstar. However, one thing he did not have and he seemingly regretted not having was a farewell tour on his retirement. In a podcast appearance, Shaq revealed his feelings behind his last seasons with the Boston Celtics prior to his retirement.
In a guest appearance at “The Dan Patrick Show,” Shaquille O’Neal touched on the topic of his last seasons in the NBA, where his performance was plagued with injuries and time off the court.
“I felt like I was robbing people,” he said. “We charge people a lot of money for tickets, and they used to say in the ‘2815’ show, me scoring six, eight points. I don’t want to charge people for that.”
Shaquille O’Neal joined the Boston Celtics in August 2010, signing a two-year contract worth the veteran’s minimum salary of $1.4 million. He was brought in to provide an interior presence and help the team contend for another championship.
Unfortunately, Shaq’s time with the Celtics was marred by injuries. He played in only 37 games during the 2010-2011 season, averaging 9.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. The injuries ultimately took their toll, and he was unable to contribute significantly during the playoffs.
Eventually, Shaq announced his retirement from the NBA on June 1, 2011, after 19 seasons in the league. Shaq’s retirement marked the end of an era for one of the most dominant and charismatic players in NBA history. Since retiring, he has transitioned into a successful career as a sports analyst and businessman.
Shaquille O’Neal Opens Up About Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade Farewell Tour
In a podcast episode that he did, Shaquille O’Neal admitted that he was jealous of the late Kobe Bryant being able to do a farewell tour.
“I’m super jealous,” he said. “I wanted a Shaq tour, man. I did. Like, I never said this but this is killing me. It did. So, you know, I had two years in Boston. I got hurt my first year, but the second year, we were going to plan a whole Shaq tour. I’m super jealous. I wanted a Shaq tour.”
“But still, I wanted to just go to the city, and people see me play my last game. I did. I’m like, at first I tried to suck it up, but I can’t. It’s killing me.”
In a separate podcast, Shaquille O’Neal also expressed appreciation on Dwyane Wade having his farewell tour, and once more expressed his jealousy over the opportunity.
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