Former Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most dominant players in NBA history. However, Shaq's NBA tenure did not come without his struggles shooting free throws. He shot a career average of 52.7 percent from the stripe. The legend provided insight into his in-game struggles with an eye-opening take.

Shaq sat down with JJ Redick to discuss his woes, and what he revealed was quite surprising. The former Lakers star had no problems shooting free throws in practice. In-game competitions changed the entire dynamic of his percentage.

“When I’m in my house shooting, I look like you…Everybody would be mad that when I [got] in the game, it wouldn’t convert…It was a humbling experience from the man upstairs,” O'Neal said via Old Man & the Three.

Shaq implied his at-home free-throw percentage would rival JJ Redick's. In other words, he could make free throws in practice, just not in a game. While his struggles at the line have been a major weakness, other areas of his game allowed him to flourish.

Shaquille O'Neal started his NBA career with the Orlando Magic when the team selected him with the first overall pick in the 1992 Draft. O'Neal made an immediate impact, amassing 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, and a career-high 3.5 blocks per game.

Shaq followed his rookie year up with one of the biggest jumps of his career. During the 1993-92 season, the star center averaged 29.3 points along with 13.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per contest. He quickly established himself as one of the league's best big men.

O'Neal spent two more seasons with the Magic until the team engaged in a blockbuster to trade land him with Kobe Bryant on the Lakers. At this point, free throws continued to plague Shaq, but they did not stop him from an all-time defining tenure.

Shaquille O'Neals' Lakers success overshadows his free throw woes

O'Neal's NBA journey changed when he paired with star shooting guard Kobe Bryant. The superstar duo won three straight NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. Years after the two were teammates, O'Neal claimed he and Bryant were the best pairing to ever play.

“Best one-two punch ever. Don't forget it,” Shaq claimed on Instagram in February of 2024. The former LA big man then followed the post up with an unapologetic comment. “Yeah, I said it.”

In addition to winning three consecutive titles, Shaq and Bryant averaged unreal stats. O'Neal's best season of the star pairing came during the 1999-200 season. He averaged 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds, and a whopping 3.0 blocks per game.

Naturally, O'Neal won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award after his incredible year. Moreover, Bryant's ascent was the ultimate concealer of LA's success. He put up 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5,0 assists, and 1.7 steals during the season leading up to his first title with Shaq.

While the duo was dominant, it did not last forever. In 2004, the Lakers traded O'Neal to the Miami Heat in a deal that centered around Lamar Odom. The separation of Shaq and Bryant marked the end of a short dynasty. However, that did not stop O'Neal from being a serviceable role player later on.

All in all, Shaquille O'Neal's free throw conversation with JJ Redick speaks volumes about how game-time performance is important. O'Neal had plenty of success away from the stripe, but hopefully, his woes help others struggling to become more efficient in competition.