Over a month has gone by since Shaquille O'Neal walked across the Barry University stage in Miami, Florida to collect his doctorate degree diploma. What's the player's career plans now? O'Neal hopes to become a motivational speaker and earn a law degree in the coming years.
Showing his excitement, the 7-foot- tall former NBA player lifted his professor in the air upon collecting his diploma.
O'Neal did not let the NBA Draft that took him out of Louisiana State University, stop him from continuing his education. Once his career was established within the NBA, he finished his bachelor's degree, proceeded to get a master's degree, and just recently completed a doctorate degree in education. O'Neal's thesis focused on the importance of humor in leadership.
Since his retirement from the NBA, O'Neal decided that there were many reasons why he wanted to continue to be productive beyond his basketball career.
He told ABC News, "One, I promised my parents I would [follow my passion for education]. Two, I wanted to continue my education and three, I wanted to challenge myself," he said.
"The hardest part was getting back into high school mode. You ever have that high school teacher that says, you've got to read six chapters over the weekend?" he said.
He told ABC News that no one was allowed to address him as Shaq anymore, now that he had earned a doctor's degree.
"Only the children can call me Shaq, the adults have to address me as Dr. O'Neal," he said.
After 19 seasons in the NBA, O'Neal says he doesn't miss basketball saying, "Because I got a new walk, a doctor's walk."
