Shaq Earns Degree From Louisiana State University Eight Years After Going Pro

Jet, Jan 8, 2001

When NBA star Shaquille O'Neal left Louisiana State University (LSU) after his junior year to turn pro, he vowed to someday get his degree. Well, "the Big Aristotle" made good on his word and recently returned to the university to receive his degree.

"I promised my parents I'd do it. I promised myself I'd do it," said O'Neal, who received a bachelor's degree in general studies with a minor in political science during a ceremony at LSU's Maravich Assembly Center--the home court of the basketball team where he once played.

"I'm very proud of him," Lucille Harrison, O'Neal's mother, added. "He made a promise to me, he set his goal and he achieved it."

The 7-foot-1, 315-pound O'Neal anxiously awaited the big day, donning a golden scarf with the words "Shaq is finished" and "For you, Mom."

O'Neal, who led the Lakers to its first NBA championship in 12 years last June, was given the team's blessing and allowed to miss a game against the Vancouver Grizzlies to make the graduation ceremony.

The superstar hooper will earn $19.286 million this season and is under contract through the 2005-06 season. But, in spite of his riches and fame, O'Neal felt earning a degree was a must.

"For people who think money and fame are important, they are only a small piece of the pie," he told his fellow graduates in a short speech. "You need an education to feel secure. I feel secure that I can get a real job now."

O'Neal, who sat with his fellow students at the afternoon degree ceremony but was on the platform with the academics for the morning commencement service, also said he had to practice what he preached. "It didn't seem right to me to be telling kids to stay in school when I hadn't got my degree. Now I can tell them-stay in school ... It puts a stamp on me as an educated man."

He admitted it wasn't easy. "I got real frustrated many, many times. When I was at school, my mom was on me to study and go to class," said O'Neal, who also busies himself with endorsements and rap and acting careers.

O'Neal completed the 28 credits needed for a degree by attending summer school and through a program of correspondence courses and independent study with some work on campus and some online.

Of the 12 LSU players who went to the NBA in the last 15 years, O'Neal is the third to earn a degree.

The following day, O'Neal's weekend was capped off when his jersey No. 33 was retired during a LSU-New Orleans game. He now joins Bob Pettit and Pete Maravich as the only LSU basketball players to have their numbers retired.