In a stunning revelation, Shaquille O'Neal, the towering former Los Angeles Lakers star and four-time NBA champion, has shared his deeply personal battle with painkiller dependency during his illustrious basketball career.
According to the Daily Mail, in interviews on the 'Armchair Expert' podcast and with GQ in 2022, O'Neal disclosed his reliance on painkillers to manage injuries, a struggle he kept secret from his family, and the subsequent health issues doctors uncovered years later.
O'Neal's journey in the NBA was marked by incredible achievements, including multiple championships, but also by the physical toll of playing through numerous injuries. As a dominant center, he often faced immense pain, which led him to rely on painkillers to keep performing at an elite level. During his playing days, he admitted that team trainers were aware of his use of these medications.
Despite the knowledge of his trainers, O'Neal made a conscious effort to hide this aspect of his life from those closest to him. He refrained from telling his wife or children about his dependency, maintaining a facade of strength. As he revealed on the 'Armchair Expert' podcast, hosted by Dax Shepard, "The trainers knew. I'm not telling my wife or my kids or my boys."
On the same podcast, O'Neal engaged in a candid conversation with Shepard about the nature of his painkiller use. Shepard pressed him on the necessity of the medication, saying, "You had to be on pain pills to play. You had to." O'Neal responded with uncertainty, stating, "I have a question. Is addicting for the chemical effect or are you just taking it? Because I was having a heated discussion with my doctors like, 'You were addicted.'"
Continuing the discussion, O'Neal expressed confusion over whether his use truly constituted addiction. He noted, "I didn't feel high. So I didn't know that was addiction." He further clarified that he didn't believe he was struggling mentally, suggesting his use was purely to manage physical discomfort.
Years after retiring from professional basketball, O'Neal faced significant health revelations that tied back to his painkiller use. In a 2022 interview with GQ, he shared that he hadn't visited a doctor for a checkup in over a decade since leaving the NBA. When he finally did, the results were alarming, uncovering issues he had never anticipated.
During the 2022 medical evaluation, doctors diagnosed O'Neal with sleep apnea, a condition that posed serious risks. He recalled their warning, "Hey man, you got sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can cause hypertension or strokes, you could die." Shocked by the gravity of the diagnosis, O'Neal now uses a sleep machine to manage the condition.
The same checkup revealed another concerning issue tied directly to his past painkiller use. Doctors informed him, "All those painkillers you were taking, bro? Your kidneys are kind of weak. No more painkillers." O'Neal acknowledged his past dependency, explaining that on days he could barely move, he would take one or two pills to push through.
Following the doctors' advice, O'Neal has since stopped using painkillers entirely. He emphasized in the GQ interview, "I'm off that now," marking a significant shift in his approach to health. This decision reflects his commitment to addressing the long-term consequences of his NBA career's physical demands.
In a separate development, O'Neal recently reignited a long-standing feud with Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert. On his 'Big Podcast,' O'Neal didn't hold back, expressing strong disapproval of Gobert's performance relative to his earnings. He stated, "I f***ing hate Rudy Gobert. Because that motherf***er making $250m [and] he don’t deserve it, dawg."
The conflict between O'Neal and Gobert is not new, as the two have exchanged harsh words through media outlets over the years. Last year, O'Neal went as far as calling Gobert "the worst player of all time," a comment that fueled their ongoing rivalry. His recent criticism focused on Gobert's lucrative $250 million contract with the Timberwolves, which O'Neal believes is unjustified.
O'Neal's public persona often blends personal revelations with professional critiques, as seen in both his health disclosures and his comments on Gobert. While his painkiller struggle highlights a vulnerable side, his outspoken nature in the Gobert feud shows his unfiltered approach to basketball discourse.
These dual narratives paint a complex picture of a sports icon navigating life after the NBA.