Shaquille O’Neal Bio

Shaquille “Shaq” O'Neal is a retired professional basketball player and sports analyst on Inside the NBA. Shaq was first drafted into the NBA by the Orlando Magic in 1992. As one of the best centers in the history of the league, he also played for the Lakers, Heat, Suns, Cavaliers, and Celtics during his professional career. Throughout his career, he amassed a long list of awards and titles. In 2000, he became one of only three players to win the NBA MVP, All-Star game MVP, and Finals MVP awards all in the same year.

Ranking third in all-time field goal percentage, Shaq never had much to fear on the basketball court, but as a child his biggest fear was his stutter.

In a Dove Men + Care ad campaign, he recalls hoping his teacher would not call on him. “I’d be like, ‘Please don’t call on me, please don’t call on me,’” he says. “I know the teacher is going to call on me and I’m going to stutter and everyone is going to laugh at me. ”

Since childhood, Shaq’s confidence has grown and he no longer fears his stutter. “I still stutter to this day,” he says. “But I’m more cool with it now.” When he feels he may stutter, he takes a moment to slow down his speech. He said he occasionally will flash a smile at someone when he starts to stutter, “to throw [them] off balance.”

As a legendary basketball player and confident stutterer, Shaquille O’Neal inspires the stuttering community to keep smiling in the face of their fears.

Updated Aug. 31, 2017

CELEBRITY FOCUS

Emily Blunt

Actress Emily Blunt struggled with stuttering early in her life. A teacher encouraged her to act in a school play at age 12 despite her stuttering.

Blunt’s name is prominently featured on the Stuttering Foundation's list of Famous People Who Stutter.

Marilyn Monroe

From Edward S. Herrington's letter to Southcoasttoday.com

I am writing in response to "The importance of voice" (May 29), which mentioned that famous actor James Earl Jones struggled with stuttering. Another famous voice that you cited was the trademark breathy voice of Marilyn Monroe; however, you did not make mention of the fact that Marilyn Monroe also struggled with stuttering at various points in her life, sometimes very painfully.

King George

In November 2010, worldwide movie audiences were presented with a most interesting and unusual movie release with The King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth as King George VI and Helena Bonham Carter as his wife Elizabeth.

Unfortunately, history may have forgotten the courageous and inspiring story of Prince Albert who stuttered badly and never dreamed that he would ever be king when his older brother, King Edward VIII, abruptly abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee.

Ken Venturi

As much of the nation watches the U.S. Open Golf Championship, it is impossible not to think about our late friend Ken Venturi. Ken overcame many challenges to win the Open at Congressional in 1964 and go on to become the voice of golf for more than three decades.

However, Ken faced no bigger obstacle than stuttering. Ken Venturi was a champion to those who stutter, going out of his way to share his personal experience when consulted by a colleague, friend, or child who stutters.

Mel Tillis

Mel Tillis, born Lonnie Melvin Tillis, was an influential figure in country music, both as a songwriter and a performer. His journey to fame was marked by overcoming personal challenges, including a stutter that he turned into a defining part of his public persona.