Shaquille O’Neal has publicly expressed regret for the “mistakes” he’s made in his personal life on multiple occasions, but the entrepreneur, podcast host and basketball legend tells PEOPLE he’s “just happy” these days.
“I’m just happy to work, happy to have friends and happy to help people in need,” says O’Neal, who celebrated his 52nd birthday March 6 in Las Vegas.
“Every day is my birthday. Today is my birthday. So I’m just happy,” he says with a laugh when asked how he celebrated another trip around the sun last week.
“Every day is actually my birthday, but to answer the question, I had a show in Vegas, and there were like 50,000 people there,” he says, referring to a live set by his musical alter-ego DJ Diesel.
O’Neal retired from the NBA in 2011, but remains among basketball’s most beloved personalities thanks to his co-hosting on TNT Within the NBA and various partnerships in sports and entertainment.
Thanks to his eclectic success over the years, O’Neal says his secret to dealing with the pressures of his celebrity is “not paying attention to feedback” most of the time.
Shaquille O’Neal says he made a lot of ‘stupid mistakes’ with his family: ‘I was an idiot’
“I don’t take myself seriously. So if I hear something crazy, I just go into laugh mode,” he says. “I mean, there’s not much you can do, so you just have to smile. I’m not one of those people who has to pretend to be a regular guy,” O’Neal explains.
He continues: “I make mistakes. But I live by certain principles. Be good to people, respect them and be yourself. That’s who I am.”
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Shaquille O’Neal speaks during the Pepsi Stronger Together and ATL press conference on April 7, 2021 in McDonough, Georgia. Paras Griffin/Getty
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. This month, O’Neal looks forward to combining his words of wisdom with basketball during this year’s March Madness Tournament through a partnership with Home Depot.
“This project is very, very fun and very cute. It’s called Tips from the Tool Shaq,” explains O’Neal. The partnership with Home Depot includes an upcoming content series with an extensive collection of project guides, step-by-step videos and “Shaq Tool Tips” on their website, launching on March 17th.
In January, O’Neal became the first Orlando Magic player to ever have his jersey number retired. O’Neal played four years for the Magic, winning the Rookie of the Year title in 1993 and leading the team to the NBA Finals in the 1995-1996 season.
Before the ceremony, the retired athlete said Magic’s recognition made him “sad” during an interview with PEOPLE.
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Shaquille O’Neal plays for the Orlando Magic in 1994.
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“It actually makes me sad and I’ll tell you why. The guy who created all of this passed away about nine, 10 years ago,” O’Neal shared, referring to his stepfather Phillip Harrison, who passed away in September 2013 after a series of health issues. “My mom is going to be there, so it’s more their moment than mine.”
“It’s been a great four years, so I’m happy,” he says of his time with the team.
O’Neal was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2016.
A 15-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA Finals MVP, O’Neal was retired by the Lakers in 2013 and by the Heat in 2016. He is now only the second player in NBA history to be retired by three separate teams, according to NBC Los Angeles. Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain is second.
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Source: HIS Education