Shaquille O’Neal‘s mentor, the four-time NBA champion and legendary Los Angeles Lakers player Michael Parris, is a little less well-known. As everyone is aware, Shaq is regarded as one of the best basketball players in history and an unstoppable force on the court. O Neal has given his stepfather Philip Harrison a great deal of credit throughout his life. After all, despite having no biological relationship to Shaq, he took him under his wing and raised him.
Michael Parris, it turns out, also contributed to Shaq’s development. Given that he is O Neal’s uncle and would have known his nephew before Harrison entered the picture, this would make sense. We’ll examine what Michael Parris taught Shaq and how his presence affected O’Neal’s life and youth now that we are aware of how wonderfully Shaq has turned out.
Michael Parris managed to guide Shaquille O Neal during his basketball struggles
Shaq received a lot of support from his family even though he undoubtedly put in a considerable bit of effort to succeed in the NBA. Before Philip Harrison took over and assisted in his training, Mike Parris was advising him on how to develop into a more mature guy. This guidance applied on the basketball court as well, where O Neal was having some difficulties.
In the view of his opponents, Shaq appeared invincible since he had nearly reached his full size. So to stop him from dominating, he was frequently double-teamed or even triple-teamed. O’Neal became irritated with way he was being treated on the floor because this increased the likelihood and frequency of injuries. It ultimately had an effect on his enjoyment of the game as well. Mike Parris was thankfully able to step in and offer Shaquille O’Neal the inspiration he needed to keep going.
Fortunately, Uncle Mike provided me with the guidance I required at the moment, as he frequently did. He advised me to be my own man and to take charge of my own destiny. He told me that anytime I stepped onto the court to compete, the only feet in my sneakers would be mine, so I shouldn’t get too caught up in what other people do during a game. His advice provided me the confidence I needed to advance my career on my own terms and go pro, as well as a newfound sense of control over my talent.
Parris managed to explain that each person can only control their own choices and must follow their own path despite the fact that he might not have been aware of what Shaq was going through. O Neal required these encouraging and reassuring remarks in order to persevere and finally get into the NBA.
