There aren’t too many players in any sport that can stay relevant from the time they enter their respective leagues as a rookie and remain relevant over a decade after they retire. You have players like Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and, more recently, Peyton Manning, who are still well-known today even after retiring. Another player that fits that description is NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal.
O’Neal first entered the NBA for the Orlando Magic in 1992 and took the league by storm. With 15 All-Star appearances, four NBA Championships, and MVP later, O’Neal is still a household name even though he retired over 11 years ago. That is precisely why HBO has decided to release a four-part documentary on the Hall of Fame Center’s remarkable career.
The documentary debuts on November 23 and will chronicle O’Neal’s life starting with Part One, titled “From Shaquille to Shaq.” Part One recounts O’Neal’s path from growing up in a military household to LSU and becoming the number one overall pick of the Orlando Magic.
Each week will delve into a different area of O’Neal’s life up until his current career as a member of the popular NBA on TNT crew. O’Neal released this statement regarding the documentary.
“We kept this documentary real from the start, and I do feel like it is the most honest look into my life and career up until this point. This process allowed me to reflect publicly in a way I haven’t before, and I’m so proud of the work everyone has done to put it all together.”
Interviews with everyone from his former Orlando Magic teammate Penny Hardaway, former Los Angles Lakers teammates, and the O’Neal family promise to give us some behind-the-scenes information never before heard regarding Shaq.
Director Robert Alexander and Peter Berg’s Film 45 detailing the life and career of NBA Hall of Famer and Shaquille O’Neal, debuting WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) with new episodes airing subsequent Wednesdays at the same time on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
