LeBron James and his tales from the Cavs days never end.
The Akron-born NBA superstar spent a glorious 11 seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron went on to get an All-Star selection at his first team, along with many other achievements.
However, he enjoyed some of the perks that no other player of his time did at Cleveland. During the latest episode of The Big Podcast, Shaquille O’Neal shared something that even he was surprised to discover.
“I was super impressed when I got to Cleveland with LeBron. LeBron had that sh*t under control. When I got there, as young as he is, this mother***** was a true leader, and he was such a leader. He was doing sh*t I never did. Like, he got to bring his family on the plane. I mean like, damn,” Shaq said.
Shaq couldn’t believe LeBron was allowed to bring his family on the team plane 💀
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 26, 2025
“I was super impressed with LeBron when I got to Cleveland… This motherf***er was a true leader… He was doing sh*t I never did. Like he got to bring his family on the plane. I was like, ‘Damn…… pic.twitter.com/Z0KsqET08d
There were many, but there wasn’t any quite like LeBron. In Shaq’s words, he was somewhat of a true leader at a young age.
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Shaquille O’Neal Did Not Push Himself On LeBron James
While LeBron James made quite a name for himself at the Cavaliers, Shaquille O’Neal was already a star.
The Big Shamrock was dominating on and off the court, and especially to his teammates, he wanted to get the best out of them.
However, when it came to LeBron, Shaq took a different approach, stating that he never felt the need to prod James with his usual critical tactics. O’Neal recognized that LeBron already had a firm grasp on both the physical and mental aspects of the game.
“Only one I didn’t do that to was Bron. Because Bron? I was super impressed,” he said.
Shaquille O'Neal & LeBron James '10 #tbt pic.twitter.com/3zs4NY2MvM
— Los 🍇 (@LosPollosTV) June 22, 2017
Raised in a military household, O’Neal’s style of motivation typically involved challenging his teammates to push harder, sometimes through harsh criticism.
This approach had proven effective in his previous relationships with stars like Kobe Bryant and Penny Hardaway, helping to inspire them to elevate their games. However, with LeBron, Shaq found that his usual methods were unnecessary.
