- Report: Lakers expected to be in the mix for Blake Griffin
- LeBron James offers ecstatic reaction to David Fizdale leaving Lakers for front office position on Jazz
- Chris Broussard questions John Wall’s decision to sign with the Clippers: ‘I think he would’ve been better off going to the Lakers’
- Report: Lakers coaching staff and front office want to see it work with Russell Westbrook in Los Angeles
- Report: Lakers guard Russell Westbrook will exercise his option for the 2022-23 season
- Report: High-ranking people believe Kyrie Irving joining the Lakers could still be on the table
- Malik Monk says he’s open to taking less money to stay with Lakers
- Report: Kyrie Irving could be willing to sign with Lakers for $6 million mid-level exception
- Report: Lakers are only team eyeing Kyrie Irving via sign-and-trade, but Nets aren’t believed to have interest in available deals
- Report: Sources ‘very’ close to the situation ‘strongly’ believe Kyrie Irving is trying to make his way to the Lakers
Shaquille O’Neal announces his retirement from being a celebrity: ‘I’m done with it’
- Updated: September 26, 2021

Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most famous NBA players ever. Countless people around the world know who he is.
However, O’Neal recently revealed that he no longer wants to be a celebrity. He wants to be known for his kindness above anything else.
“These celebrities are going freaking crazy and I don’t want to be one. I denounce my celebrity-ness today. I’m done with it,” O’Neal told the New York Post.
“I don’t want to be in that category. Celebrities are crazy, they really are. Don’t call me that anymore. These people are out of their freaking mind with how they treat people, what they do, what they say. That’s never been me. I never want to be looked at like that.”
O’Neal further explained why he no longer wants to be known as a celebrity.
“I came from nothing,” he said. “But, just because I made it doesn’t mean I’m bigger than you, smarter than you — just because I have more money doesn’t mean I’m better than you. I’ve never been that way and I never will be that way. So I don’t want to be in that category of people.
“When they talk about Shaq, what do you say? ‘He’s a nice guy.’ Because what else can you be? You’re either nice or you’re the A-word, and I definitely won’t be looked at as the A-word,” he said.
“I want people to say, ‘Bro, he’s nice. He didn’t have an entourage. His people didn’t take my phone because I took a picture and threw it.’”
The four-time NBA champion has been known to help out those in need. It seems like he is always willing to lend a hand to others.
O’Neal accomplished a lot during his NBA career. Besides being a 15-time All-Star, he won two scoring titles and an MVP award.
He is now a television personality and continues to be one of the most recognizable people in the basketball world, but it’s clear that O’Neal will always be willing to put others before himself.