like, the day nobody had ever seen me dunk before. i would dunk and hang on the rim and pull myself up, and the crowd would go crazy. i was like, he was right. let s talk a little bit about the partnership between you and kobe. that was something people had never seen before, the power of that partnership. we were the most enigmatic, controversial, dominant, one-two punch in the history of the game. a lot of stuff went on outside the game that never happened inside the game. like, people actually think that kobe bryant and shaq o neal hate each other. that was never the case. there was a falling out for a time when kobe said some pretty harsh things when he was having his difficulties in colorado. he told cops that you paid off won. didn t affect me, i mean, cause i had to, like, sit back and understand what he was going through. like, he was going through a real life situation. like i always said, this is a fairy tale life,
cause once i started dunking, like, the day nobody had ever seen me dunk before. i would dunk and hang on the rim and pull myself up, and the crowd would go crazy. i was like, he was right. let s talk a little bit about the partnership between you and kobe. that was something people had never seen before, the power of that partnership. we were the most enigmatic, controversial, dominant, one-two punch in the history of the game. a lot of stuff went on outside the game that never happened inside the game. like, people actually think that kobe bryant and shaq o neal hate each other. that was never the case. there was a falling out for a time when kobe said some pretty harsh things when he was having his difficulties in colorado. he told cops that you paid off women. didn t affect me, i mean, cause i had to, like, sit back and understand what he was going through. like, he was going through a real life situation.
very unfair to them. but, you know, they still loved me for it, but it s definitely hard to be married playing a sport. i wanted to be so great that i just focused on it so much. and if i had it all over to do again, i d probably do it different. but if you had balanced your life more, you might not be the guy you are today in the position you re in today. and, you know, good thing about my family is they allow me to be me. they understand . they know that i love them and i care for them, but they know that i m passionate about my work. they know i m passionate about taking care of the family, so they let me be me. levin: you are on the road. there are temptations. it seems like a very difficult thing to be a family man when you ve got that adulation from women as you travel all over the country all the time. it s very difficult, and, you know, that s why i always urge players, and especially players, don t get married unless you re ready. don t get married unless you re ready. levin:
a movie star, and a mega successful businessman with an epic blind spot. i ve never seen black people in my family drink coffee. it was the worst business decision of my life. and of course there was kobe and colorado. - threw you under the bus. - yeah, he did. shaquille o neal from juvenile delinquent to colossal success. - hi, there. - how d you get in my house, harvey? this house is incredible. thank you. how are you? i m well, okay, i can we just kind of like say the obvious here? it s a little humiliating for me. all ght, so let s sit down then. i mean, i m gonna have neck problems after this. nah, we lltand. so the first thing that i noticed that is front and center is that over the mantel. that s your mom. shaq: my mom is my favorite person in the world. she was the one that, as a youngster, when i didn t even believe i could make it,
my story is the story of a regular working man making it to become very successful. shaq: a doctorate of education. i did that, basically, for my mother and for my children. levin: what do you mean? shaq: my children grew up a fairy tale life, and now that the life is over, i always have to explain to them, this right here, that s not real life. this is real life. handling your business is real life. so i wanted them to see me as more than just shaq, the great hall of fame basketball player. so after i left lsu i left in 92. levin: and you left before graduating. - yes. - you had only completed three years. i, shaquille o neal, after careful deliberation, have decided to forego my senior year of eligibility at lsu. and my parents were very upset, very upset,