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Shaquille O'Neal was so massive at age 9, his mom had to carry proof
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- Shaquille O'Neal was so massive at age 9, his mom had to carry proof
(© Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images)
Being super tall comes with its advantages, no question. For instance, as first reported in 2011 by Pablo Torre in Sports Illustrated, a 7-foot (or taller) American man has a 17% likelihood of making it to the NBA . But the real world isn't all the glitz and glamour of the Association's hardwood. Because when you're extremely tall, even the most ordinary tasks, like going to the store or on public transportation, can become complicated.
Shaquille O'Neal had the "pleasure" of experiencing both sides of that coin because long before he became a bona fide legend in the NBA, he was just an oversized kid who tried his best to fit in. And that was easier said than done because he was, quite literally, head and shoulders above everyone else around him.
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It got to the point that even staying in line for a bite at a fast-food restaurant seemed like a challenging mission.
"For example, my mom had to bring my birth certificate everywhere with her. They didn't believe I was only nine," the Hall of Famer explained in his biography "Shaq Uncut." "The bus driver, the subway conductor, the guy behind the counter at McDonald's. Can't a kid get a Happy Meal without all this hassle?"
Shaq also faced a lot of name-calling
Living as a kid who was already bigger than most adults was not an easy task. Shaq's family moved frequently due to his father's service in the military, so he had to make new friends over and over again while also standing out for his unusual size. On top of having his birth certificate to verify his age, young Shaquille constantly faced teasing and name-calling. He remembered kids being curious, jealous, or simply cruel. And as he grew taller and taller, the names got nastier .
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Being that tall at a young age also meant adjusting to a body that was far ahead of its time. Everyday activities that most children take for granted, like sitting in a classroom, walking through a crowded hallway, or riding public transportation, could be awkward and uncomfortable. O'Neal's mother, Lucille, often had to intervene, just like it was the case for his age verification, but it was young Shaq who dealt with it from the very beginning, and that's what made him so tough later on.
Shaq overcame all the obstacles and became a legend
In the end, O'Neal settled at "only" 7-foot-1, a height that was more than enough to dominate the Association. Over a 19-year NBA career, he became a four-time NBA champion, three-time Finals MVP, 15-time All-Star, and one of the most physically dominant players the game has ever seen. Game after game, he terrorized opponents and left a mark on the game that will never be forgotten.
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And yet, even after all of that success, championships and accolades, the memory of being a kid whose age nobody believed sticks with him. It speaks volumes about how much it had an impact on him.
It's a funny image now: the bus driver, the subway conductor, and the McDonald's cashier all staring at a nine-year-old who looked a decade older, not knowing that that "someone" would end up becoming one of the greatest forces ever seen to touch a basketball. And in the end, that same kid who needed his birth certificate to prove his age grew up to tower over the game — literally and figuratively.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
