Over the years, Shaquille O’Neal‘s NBA career has experienced remarkable growth and success. But in his private life, it was never the case. Joseph Tooney, Shaquille’s father, was never a part of his son’s upbringing because he was raised by a single mother named Lucille. His father was a former criminal who was serving a six-year sentence for narcotics possession and forgery at the time of his birth.
Even after being exonerated of the accusations, the man never made an attempt to get in touch, leaving the boy to grow up without a father figure. Shaquille, a 47-year-old father of six, did not have to wait long to meet the man. Shaquille discussed the specifics of their meeting in an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw on one of his episodes. The two met in a restaurant in Oklahoma, New Jersey.