During a live episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal shared a surprising detail about his academic journey. During the summer, he attended classes at Southern University, an HBCU, to fulfill his graduation requirements from Louisiana State University (LSU). This revelation shows O’Neal’s connection to historically Black colleges and universities, despite never being a full-time student at one.
When asked by an HBCU graduate what he does to support HBCUs, Shaq responded with an untold story about his brief time as an HBCU student.
“I always supported. It was an HBCU that helped me graduate from LSU. A lot of people don’t know the story, but I had to transfer to Southern for summer school. So it, I mean, I’ve always been a big supporter.”
HBCU Summer School
O’Neal left LSU early to pursue his NBA career but promised his mother and then-LSU head coach Dale Brown he would complete his degree. He fulfilled that promise in 2000, earning a Bachelor of Arts in general studies with a minor in political science. Shaq’s summer as an HBCU student had a lingering effect, as he fondly recalled the feeling of being on an HBCU campus.
“Going there, the flavor, the feeling—like, sometimes I sit and I say, ‘Man, I wish I would’ve went to an HBCU. Because I went to the HBCU tournament when it was in Atlanta a couple weeks ago. And the DJs, the culture, the band, the cheerleaders—it’s just fun. And I’m a really big supporter of HBCUs.” In March, Shaq showed up in Atlanta at the SWAC basketball tournament to support his son and the FAMU Rattlers and his former teammate, Mo Williams, now the head coach at Jackson State University.
The O’Neal family’s ties to HBCUs extend beyond Shaquille. His son, Shaqir O’Neal, has made significant strides in HBCU basketball. Initially committing to Texas Southern University in 2021, hoping to “change the narrative” around HBCU hoops, Shaqir later transferred to Florida A&M University (FAMU) in 2024. At FAMU, he recorded his first collegiate double-double during the 2024-2025 season before transferring to Sacramento State, where his father will serve as the program’s general manager under first-year head coach Mike Bibby.
Shaqir’s athletic prowess was further highlighted when a powerful dunk earned him a spot on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top Ten Plays—drawing national attention to FAMU’s basketball program.
Through personal experience and his son’s rising athletic career, Shaquille O’Neal is using his voice to redefine the narrative around HBCUs, showing that these historic institutions are not just a proud part of his past but a powerful force in shaping the future.
