“What’s in a name?” Shakespeare asked—and if you’re in the NBA, apparently, a whole lot of confusion. From Tim Hardaway Jr. constantly getting linked to Penny Hardaway, to people assuming Elfrid Payton must be Gary Payton’s son (he’s not), the mix-ups never stop. NBA fans love a good story—even if they have to invent the family tree. And now, it’s the O’Neal’s caught in the latest round of basketball identity confusion, proving once again: sometimes, the name does play tricks.
Shaquille O’Neal and Jermaine O’Neal—two big men, two long NBA careers, and one shared last name that’s confused fans for decades. Shaq, the larger-than-life center, played 19 seasons starting in 1992-93. Jermaine, the skilled and versatile big, came into the league four years later in 1996-97 and played 18 seasons of his own. The two went head-to-head 40 times, with Shaq owning the matchup 24-16 overall, including a dominant 6-2 record in the Playoffs. But here’s the twist: while their battles on the court were real, the family ties weren’t. Still, that didn’t stop fans from wondering—are they related?
Turns out, those questions are totally off base, at least in curiosity. The ex-Celtics player recently cleared the air himself on The Dan Patrick Show, admitting, “Yeah, all the time. It’s funny because me and Shaq have family members in uh South Carolina, so we did talk a little bit about it. Um, but I get that question all the time.” It’s been a long-time assumption—two dominant big men, same era, same last name? It had to mean something, right?
PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 28: Jermaine O’Neal #7 of the Indiana Pacers adjusts his headband against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 28, 2006, at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
Well, not quite. Jermaine dropped the real story on the Out The Mud podcast, and it’s both wild and deeply personal. “When my mother was pregnant with me, he [father] dipped,” he said. “Crazy story, my last name is made up… Not even his name. I’m one of 33 kids, true story.” And just when you think that’s rare, here’s another twist: Shaq’s last name didn’t come from his biological father either. He actually got the name “O’Neal” from his mother, Lucille. So while the two legends aren’t blood-related, their journeys share a surprising connection—both carrying a last name not given by their father, but one which has a deep meaning regardless.
Jermaine O’Neal didn’t just share a last name with Shaquille O’Neal—he shared the court with him, too. And let’s just say, it was no walk in the park. “Very difficult,” Jermaine said when asked what it was like guarding Shaq. “You know, I really believe Shaq is—he’s a special human being…he’s a giant. Uh, incredibly strong. Um, very kindhearted.” That mix of brute force and gentle soul made Shaq a nightmare to defend—but also, oddly, someone you could respect mid-game. “Sometimes he will pull up a little bit if he liked you,” Jermaine added. “You could tell… it’s certain players that you knew he didn’t like, right? And you can tell from start to finish.”
He went even deeper into what made Shaq different, not just physically, but mentally. “I’ve never ever seen or played against a person that size, that nimble, um, and that strong,” Jermaine said. “I thought he had great composure, but he could have really just dominated people if he really wanted to just destroy everybody.” There was an awareness in how Shaq carried himself—how much damage he could do versus how much he chose to do. And we’ve got proof of that straight from Shaq himself.
When Shaquille O’Neal watched in awe—and struggled to keep up
For someone who shattered backboards and bullied some of the best big men the league has ever seen, Shaquille O’Neal had a surprising confession: there were a few guys he simply didn’t want to guard—not because he couldn’t, but because he didn’t want to. “There were guys that when we played them, I was such a fan I let them do what they wanted on me,” Shaq admitted on The Adam Lefkoe Podcast. His short list? Jason Williams (“White Chocolate”), Vince Carter, Allen Iverson, and Tracy McGrady. From Vince’s high-flying posters to AI’s ankle-breaking crossovers, Shaq was so in awe, he chose to admire their work—even if it meant taking a hit on defense.
FILE: Shaquille O’Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers stands with his hands on his hips during a National Basketball Association game against the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Matt A. Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
But when it came to actual nightmares on the court—players who really gave him trouble—it wasn’t the usual Hall of Famers like Duncan or Ewing. On Open Court, Shaq got brutally honest. “I had three guys that I could just not stop. I couldn’t guard them,” he said. “First one was ‘Big Country’ Reeves; he would pick and pop my a–. Second one was Rik Smits early on, before we faced you off in the Finals. He used to kill me. Another one was Zydrunas Ilgauskas. And then the last one is Gheorghe Muresan. He used to give me numbers in Washington.” These weren’t iconic names with MVPs or rings; they were skilled bigs who stretched the floor in ways that made Shaq uncomfortable. Reeves in particular tormented him. “So I would show and ‘Big Country’ 15 feet away, and I had to rotate back. And he had the ugliest one-hand Duckworth jumper. He shot it, and it always go in…he was killing me,” Shaq explained.
What made these matchups so difficult wasn’t brute force—it was finesse, spacing, and shooting. Sure, he averaged 2.3 blocks per game in his career—including a career-high 3.5 in his rookie season—but that didn’t help when bigs floated outside the paint and pulled him into uncomfortable territory. As much as he dominated on both ends, Shaq was human—and in these rare cases, it showed.
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