His father, Shaquille O’Neal, had been arrested and was serving time.
Lucille O’Neal, who would later become famous as the mother of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, was Shaquille’s primary caregiver. Shaq’s father was incarcerated for the most of Shaq’s upbringing. As a result, Shaq has never had a conversation with his father. Shaquille was just a baby when he was detained on suspicion of possessing drugs and placed in juvenile detention.
After his son’s father was released from prison and decided that he did not want to be engaged in Shaq’s life, he concluded that it was best for him to give up his parental obligations. Shaq has no desire to spend time with his father and expresses this sentiment frequently.