In a state-of-the-art Los Angeles studio, Shaquille O’Neal adjusts his headphones as the technical team puts the finishing touches on an episode of his popular podcast, “The Big Podcast with Shaq.” Even at 53, Shaq, a former center and four-time NBA champion, has built an impressive media empire since retiring from playing. The studio is decorated with memorabilia from his illustrious career, from trophies to giant sneakers, a silent witness to O’Neal’s successful transition from athlete to businessman and media personality.

On a busy day in March, Shaq arrives earlier than usual, his face betraying the fatigue of a busy week of meetings, recordings for TNT sports, and meetings with his management team. Executive producer Marcus notices the difference in Shaq’s mood and asks, “Everything okay, Big?” with his familiar nickname. Shaq replied thoughtfully, “Just thinking about some things.” In fact, O’Neal is grappling with questions about his own legacy. A recent wave of criticism on social media has accused him of being too harsh on modern centers in his commentary as a commentator. Some fans and players have argued that he fails to appreciate the multi-talented talents who are shaping modern basketball.

However, when Shaq entered the studio, he realized that the topic of today’s podcast episode was “Redefining Legacy.” It’s a discussion about how athletes are remembered after their careers are over, and the guest on this episode is Rex Chapman, a former NBA player and now social media personality. The two will share stories about the pressures of maintaining their status in an industry that is always looking for new faces.

As the show began, things were as usual, with light banter between Shaq and his co-stars, analysis of recent NBA games, and the Golden State Warriors’ performance. However, Chapman’s question about the changing nature of basketball set the tone in the studio: “Playing basketball is a lot different today, Shaq. You dominated in an era where physicality was the deciding factor, but centers now need to be more versatile. How do you see that change?” In response, Shaq didn’t, as usual, defend his views on big centers, but instead quietly reflected and admitted, “Maybe I’m being too harsh.” It was a rare moment, where O’Neal opened up and expressed his concerns about his place in the modern era of basketball.

The show then went into a surprise segment. A series of NBA player reactions to Shaq’s recent comments will air. One in particular is from Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, whom Shaq has criticized in recent years. Curry begins the video with a friendly smile, but then he switches to a serious tone and shares a poignant memory: in 2009, when he was still a young player, Shaq visited Davidson College, where Curry was studying. “He told me not to let anyone define your greatness by your size. Greatness is defined by doing things that no one else can copy,” Curry said. This quote has followed him throughout his career and has become a guiding principle for the journey of one of the greatest players in the NBA.

Shaq, known for his strong and cheerful personality, could not hold back his emotions when he heard these words again. Tears streamed down his face in this rare moment. The appearance of this video was not only an acknowledgement of Shaq’s profound impact on the next generation, but also a connection between two players from two different eras of basketball.

Shortly after, Shaquille O’Neal, in a completely different mood, appeared on TNT’s “Inside the NBA.” In a conversation with his colleagues, Shaq shared that he realized that legacy is not just what people do when everyone is looking, but also the small moments when they lift others up without expecting anything in return.