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Shaquille O’Neal made up rumor about David Robinson for motivation
Shaquille O'Neal revealed some of his motivation techniques during his playing days. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Shaquille O’Neal made up rumor about David Robinson for motivation

By Zac Wassink  |  Last updated 5/18/20

One of the more humorous tales from "The Last Dance" involved Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan creating a fictional story about former Washington Bullets guard LaBradford Smith just so MJ could motivate himself to avenge what was, for the six-time champion, an off evening.

It appears Jordan wasn't the only player to use such tactics.

Ahead of the debuts of the final two episodes of the ESPN docuseries on Sunday evening, Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal and David Robinson participated in a Zoom conference call that featured a handful of noteworthy players from the 1990s.

During the call, Shaq confessed he once made up a story that The Admiral didn't sign an autograph for him when The Diesel was 13 years old.

"The first couple of years (in the NBA), (Robinson) use to kill me," Shaq explained. "So I made up a rumor so I could get mad." 

Robinson added that he got O'Neal to come clean when the two were on the United States basketball team that won gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

We'd like to know who else was on Shaq's "list" during the heights of his career. 

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