“I still eat fajitas to this day,” Shaquille O’Neal said about the influence of Mexican culture. It might be the little things like this but San Antonio where the Big Aristotle spent much of his teenage years, never left him. Even as he lives a completely different life from before, he fondly looks back on those days of playing for Robert G. Cole High School. How could the fans ever forget the NBA legend who, before everything, led the Cougars to a state championship?
As he returned to his hometown after nearly 35 years, O’Neal was swept up in memories, sharing stories from the past with a heart full of nostalgia. Long before he became the dominant force in the NBA, Shaq was a towering figure at Robert G. Cole High School, where he famously led the Cougars to a state championship, etching his name into local basketball lore.
His visit to Alamo City came during the 2025 NCAA Men’s Final Four weekend. He met fans as well as students from his alma mater. He was all smiles, posing for pictures with the kids. He even hosted a shooting competition between two seniors. Before leaving, he made sure to share some encouraging words with the students. A visit to Alamo for Shaq must have felt like returning to his roots.
Shaq wasn’t just a passive visitor; he actively engaged with the community, sharing laughs, posing for countless photos with enthusiastic fans and students, and even taking center court to host a fun shooting competition between two graduating seniors. No wonder he compared it to being like Superman’s story.
“My favorite movie is Superman 2, where he goes back to the north pole, wherever he is from, and he gets his power back,” he said as he recounted visiting the places he went to as a teen to reminisce about those days.
Being back in Alamo also meant Shaq’s time with his parents. When asked about how he built his business, he remembered how his father kept him humble by showing him stories of athletes who failed to maintain their finances. He recounted how, growing up, he didn’t have dreams of becoming rich but doing something for his parents.
Having lived most of their life in apartments, O’Neal shared that he wished to buy a house for his mother. “My mom’s riding through Alamo heights. You know how beautiful the houses are and I just seen her stop and look at this house. It wasn’t a large house. but it was a nice house coming from where we were staying in the army base, and I just seen her look, and that kind of touched my heart and hurt me and made me say, okay, when and if I get big time, I’m gonna buy my mother a house,” he said.
Shaquille O Neal In Poland. Shaquille O Neal attends the Hey, This is Shaq Basketball Tournament in Warsaw, Poland, on August 28, 2024. NBA, Basketball Herren, USA legend Shaquille O Neal visits Poland as part of a marketing campaign, promoting his personal brand SHAQ and the latest Reebok collection. Warsaw Poland PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xMarcinxGolbax originalFilename:golba-shaquill240828_npQdx.jpg
While his life and net worth might have changed, Shaq has remained the same person, humble and kind. He has stayed true to himself, and it reflects in his endeavors and endorsement deals too. From “Shaq-a-Claus” events to much more, he makes an effort to help people. And why does he do it? He was taught the same by his parents.
While San Antonio fans have nothing but love for the legend, did that change during his NBA days?
Shaquille O’Neal played against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2000s
The San Antonio fans might have had mixed feelings in the past. While the basketball legend had shined during his high school years, it was during his NBA days when he helped Los Angeles to dominate against the San Antonio Spurs during the playoffs. The rivalry between the two teams is well known.
During the intense Los Angeles Lakers vs. Spurs rivalry in the 2000s, he was a crucial piece. He averaged 23.9 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks in 21 games against the Spurs in the playoffs between the 2000–01 and 2003–04 seasons.
While that remains true, the love that fans had for O’Neal never changed. And it has been the same for O’Neal. During his teenage years, his best friend’s family taught him about the culture. That immersion in San Antonio’s rich Mexican culture left a lasting impression on the young Shaq, extending beyond the basketball court. As he once fondly recalled, “So the Ramos family showed us everything. I remember the first time they took me to Fiesta, and I was like, what is this? And they talked about the Mexican culture. I still eat fajitas to this day,” a testament to the enduring influence of his time in Alamo City.
“So the Ramos family showed us everything. I remember the first time they took me to Fiesta, and I was like, what is this? And they talked about the Mexican culture. I still eat fajitas to this day,” O’Neal once said. Neither fans forgot O’Neal and nor did the legend forget his days living in San Antonio
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