SHAQUILLE O’Neal has revealed his odd pregame ritual from NBA playing days.
The Los Angeles Lakers icon said he stayed up until the early morning hours to make sure he was in top form on the court the following day.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has revealed his bizarre pregame ritualCredit: Instagram/BigPodWithShaq
O’Neal said he stayed up until the early morning hours before games to make sure he was in top form on the courtCredit: Getty
O’Neal, 51, remembered how he would typically spend the evening before an NBA game as he hosted Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson his The Big podcast.
Iverson recalled how his former head coach Jim O’Brien suspended him for the next game against the Miami Heat during the 2004-05 season because of a late night out.
Shaq then chimed in, saying it’s a myth that athletes need to go to sleep early to be able to perform at a high level.
“I never go to bed early,” he said while pointing out it didn’t mean he was partying all night.
“Ever since [I was] 18 years old, I’ve never went to bed before 12 o’clock.”
The revelation seemed to have caught Iverson by surprise as the ex-guard pointed out that many of the NBA games start at 7 pm local time.
“That’s what I’m saying, you can take a nap,” Shaq explained.
“That was my thing, stay out all night, right?
“Like just 4:00 [am]. Get up at 10:00 [am]. Go to shootaround, mess around, come back.
“Two turkey clubs, fries and a pineapple soda, and then I’ll sleep the four hours.”
While O’Neal’s nighttime routine might seem bizarre to some, he still managed to dominate his opponents on a daily basis, the four-time NBA champ pointed out.
“That’s what I need before the game,” Shaq said.
Shaq visibly bemused live on Inside The NBA as TNT reporter recycles Charles Barkley gag and uses it on him
“Like if I get that three hours [of sleep] before the game, no matter what I did the night before, I’m killing somebody.
“They always try to make a big deal of him going out but…”
O’Neal added that when he actually tried to go to bed early, he wasn’t at his best the following game.
Shaq received the 2000 NBA MVP award in addition to three Finals MVP titles, 15 All-Star nods, and 14 All-NBA honors during his 19 seasons in the league.
News
Exclυsive Kiм Kardashian was ‘rattled’ by savage BOOING at Toм Brady’s roast and felt ‘blindsided’ by crowd who threw Taylor Swift feυd in her face with brυtal chants of ‘ThanK yoυ aIMee’
Kim Kardashian đã bị che mắt bởi sự tiếp đón ‘tàn bạo’ mà cô nhận được khi chiếu trực tiếp Tom Brady trên Netflix, với việc ngôi…
Breaking: ABC’s CEO Has Finally Realized The Obvious: The View, an Aberration of Humanity
Breaking: ABC’s CEO Has Finally Realized The Obvious: The View, an Aberration of Humanity ABC’s CEO, Kim Williams, made a startling admission recently, declaring that the creation…
Jada Pinkett Smith and Jaden Smith use “hallucination drugs” right in the conversation on the red table
“It’s changed my life for the better,” Jada said. Jada Pinkett Smith and Jaden Smith are opening up about their personal experiences with psychedelic drugs. On Wednesday’s episode of Facebook…
Kylie Jenner, 15, looks older than her years in revealing outfit as she supports her friend Jaden Smith at After Earth premiere
She’s only fifteen years old, but she certainly didn’t look it on Wednesday. As Kylie Jenner attended the After Earth premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater in New…
Jaden Smith’s terrible secret has never been revealed
“When one thinks of Jaden Smith, the image of a cute young boy catapulted into stardom by the success of ‘The Karate Kid’ likely comes to mind….
The Real Reason Why Jaden Smith Moved Out At 15
If there is anything we all know about The Smiths, it is how unconventional they are. But to the point of a 15-year-old wanting to move out…
End of content
No more pages to load