Shaquille O'Neal's health struggles explored as former NBA star questions addiction to painkillers

Shaquille O'Neal is opening up about his use of painkillers.

During a Monday, August 11 episode of the "Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard" podcast, the former NBA giant voiced uncertainty about his alleged painkiller addiction, despite what his doctors suggested. When asked if he was ever concerned about being too reliant on the pain medication, he said:

“So, I have a question. Is ‘addiction’ the chemical effect or are you just taking it? I was having a heated discussion with my doctors, like, ‘You were addicted,’ but I didn’t feel high.”

Shepard, 50, told the 53-year-old that while he might not have felt “high,” he could have “just felt the absence of pain.”

“Yes. I didn’t know that was addiction,” Shaquille O'Neal replied. He said he “needed to play great” as opposed to simply “good," which caused him to turn to painkillers frequently. “I don’t think I was suffering mentally,” he said. “I think if I had a knack, I would take it because I don’t want to feel that knack because we need this game.” O’Neal added, “You hear stories… ‘Oh, he was addicted.’ I wasn’t that, but I had to have them — so is that addiction?”

Shaquille O'Neal opens up about his health woes: Read more

As reported by Marca, during his conversation with Dax, Shaquille O'Neal admitted that the Lakers' training staff had been aware of his usage. "The trainers knew," he said, but he conceded to hiding it from those closer to him.

"I mean I'm not telling my wife or my kids or my boys," Shaquille O'Neal said, referring to his then-wife, Shaunie O'Neal.

He also said that he misunderstood what a junkie really was, and Shepard clarified that it could also mean being "preoccupied" by a substance. In the interview, the latter referred to himself as a "high-functioning" addict. However, Shaquille O'Neal maintained that while he overdid it during the season, he steered clear of painkillers in the offseason.

Nonetheless, as reported by Us Weekly, during his profile for GQ magazine in 2022, the retired athlete echoed his struggles with his health:

“When you play, you go to the doctor to get checked and a physical, right? But I ain’t played in 11, years so if I’m not playing, what would I go to the doctor for, right?” he told the outlet. “So when I went back to the doctor there was some stuff I never even knew. They give you those certain words: ‘Hey man, you got sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can cause hypertension or strokes, you could die.’ I said, ‘What?’ ‘You could die.’ So now I’ve got to sleep with a sleep machine.”

The NBA commentator also said that his usage of painkillers and their side effects had also come up during his doctor's appointment as a cause for concern:

“Then, ‘All those painkillers you were taking, bro? Your kidneys are kind of weak. No more painkillers.’” O’Neal said. “I was dependent upon painkillers — not addicted. Certain days when I couldn’t move, I just popped one or two, just to get me going. But I’m off that now.”

Shaquille O'Neal, now a sports analyst, also had issues with his health back in March 2023. At the time, photos of him in a hospital bed went viral, prompting him to clear the air with some light humor:

“To all the people who are concerned. First let me start off by saying thank you,” he wrote on Instagram at the time. “And lastly i am fine. Just had to get some BBL work done aka #hipreplacement. but yes i am fine no need to worry.”

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