Shaquille O'Neal

O'Neal earned a doctoral degree in education from Barry University in 2012, fulfilling a promise he made to his mother that he would complete his education after leaving LSU early for the NBA.

He maintained an active role as a reserve police officer in multiple jurisdictions throughout his playing and post-playing career, holding badges in several American cities.

Shaquille O'Neal recorded multiple rap albums and appeared in films during his peak playing career — a multimedia presence that reflected both his outsized personality and his understanding of entertainment as a professional platform.

His free-throw percentage (52.7% career) was the defining statistical irony of his career: a player who was essentially unguardable in the paint and yet vulnerable at a point on the court where defense is irrelevant.