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Shaquille O’Neal’s basketball prowess and dominance were never in question from the get-go. Not long after arriving in the NBA as the first pick of the 1992 Draft, he immediately went on a rampage, treating grown men like rag dolls inside the shaded lane and overpowering them with his sheer strength and remarkable agility, uncommon for big men of that era.
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He then spent the next six years continuing his reign of terror. However, no matter how gaudy his stat lines were, he never could bring either the Orlando Magic or the Los Angeles Lakers to the promised land. And one of the biggest knocks of the 7’1″ behemoth was his lack of focus due to the number of things on his plate.
From endorsement deals to movies, to making music and being a jolly giant, Shaq was just as invested in living the good life as he was in trying to win an NBA title. All that changed, though, when the Zen Master, Phil Jackson, joined the Lakers as head coach in 1999. But how different would Phil be when renowned coaches such as Brian Hill and Del Harris couldn’t rein him in?
According to Diesel, what set Jackson apart was his authority. And given how O’Neal responded to his military man father, Philip Harrison, he immediately knew that things were going to be different that season.
Blueprint for success
O’Neal was certainly aware of Jackson’s coaching chops, with his Magic squad getting swept by the Chicago Bulls in the 1996 Eastern Conference finals. Add to that his impressive resume (winning six titles in Chicago) and O’Neal knew this was someone he couldn’t lollygag with.
The man came out of retirement to help the Lakers regain their past glory and knew how to get the best out of his stars; if he got Dennis Rodman to be on his best behavior in Chicago, he absolutely knew how to maximize O’Neal’s incredible talents and physique.
“Everyone knows because Phil gave me the blueprint on how to win the championship. And again, an authoritative figure, I checked his resume. Got six with the great Michael Jordan,” Shaq
“I want to add to that. So, yes, sir. Whatever you tell me to do, I’m gonna do.”
Shaq had plenty of experience dealing with authoritative figures, having spent his entire childhood and formative years under the guidance of his strict father, Philip, an Army officer. An imposing figure both inside and outside their household, Philip identified Shaq’s basketball potential at an early age.
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But instead of coddling him, he consistently used a “tough love” approach on the young man, to the point where he beat him when he went out of line. The approach proved beneficial for Shaq, keeping him straight as an arrow and focused on the goal of making it big in basketball and becoming a respectable man.
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What was the blueprint?
As Jackson took over the coaching reins, one of the first things that he did was talk to Shaq about his extracurricular activities.
“He’s like, ‘Listen, you’re doing good, but no more rapping, no more videos, no more movies. I need you to concentrate,'” Shaq relayed. “I’m like, ‘Why? I make a lot of money doing it. Why would I stop doing that?’ ‘So, because if you listen to me, you can get MVP this year and we can win a championship.'”
Shaq heeded Phil’s advice and came to camp in the best shape of his life. As terrific as he was in previous years, he became downright unstoppable during the 1999-2000 season, averaging a career-high 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.0 blocks per game. His tremendous efforts earned him his first and only MVP award as well as All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defensive Team honors.
Related: “I don’t know him that well” – Michael Jordan never developed a close relationship with Phil Jackson outside basketball
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This story was originally published August 11, 2026 at 11:38 AM.