The seven-foot-one, 325-pound graduate wore a custom made XXX-L gown to Saturday’s graduation ceremony in Miami. O’Neal’s mother, children and several of his siblings were on hand for the ceremony. He told the Miami Herald, “Everyone thinks this is honorary. But this is not honorary. I put in four and a half hard years staying up late at night, studying, reading, rewriting papers Dr. Kopp marked up. The work was very rigorous, but very enjoyable. And I’m not done. I think I’m going to try law school next. I’m thinking about it. We’ll see.”
The road to Saturday’s graduation wasn’t easy. In 1992, O’Neal left college early to to enter the NBA draft. He eventually went back to school to complete his bachelor’s degree in general studies from Louisiana State University. In 2005, he earned his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix online.
Out of all of his many accolades, awards, championships O’Neal says this doctoral degree is his proudest accomplishment.
Congratulations to Dr. Shaquille O’Neal!
