Shaquille O’Neal, the four-time NBA champion and Hall of Famer known for his playful hatred of Charles Barkley, has officially earned his master’s degree from Louisiana State University. Shaq earns masters from LSU just years after completing his bachelor’s, and he is not stopping there.
The 53-year-old basketball icon received his Master of Science in kinesiology with a concentration in sport administration. Shaq originally committed to LSU in 1989, leaving early for the NBA draft. He famously promised his mother he would return to finish what he started. He kept that promise.
In 2000, he completed his bachelor’s degree through online courses. Now, more than two decades later, he has gone further. His cap and gown fit just fine over his 7-foot-1 frame.
Shaq has already announced his next academic target. He is enrolling in a doctoral program, though he has not specified which university or field of study. Friends say he talks about being called “Dr. O’Neal” the same way he talks about championship rings.
His motivation is straightforward. He wants his children to see that learning never stops, no matter how successful you become. He also enjoys proving people wrong, the same engine that drove his NBA career.
Fans immediately connected the degree to Shaq’s running feud with Charles Barkley. The two NBA on TNT co-hosts have spent years exchanging insults. Barkley has occasionally joked about Shaq’s academic pursuits. Now Shaq has fresh material.
When asked about Barkley’s reaction, Shaq smiled and said nothing. That silence speaks volumes. The man who “hates Charles Barkley” on camera just added another trophy to his shelf. Barkley, meanwhile, has not announced any new degrees.
Shaq continues to build an empire beyond basketball. He owns dozens of franchises, works as a broadcaster, and now holds a master’s degree. A doctorate would make him a rare breed: a former athlete with a terminal academic degree.
The big man keeps getting bigger, just not the way anyone expected.
