Playing in the NBA at the highest level demands an incredible toll on the body.
Years of collisions, explosive movements, and grueling schedules leave even the toughest athletes dealing with constant pain. For Shaquille O’Neal, that pain was managed with a mix of grit, and painkillers.
The Hall of Famer recently sat down with actor Dax Shepard on the Armchair Expert podcast, where the topic turned to pain medication.
Shepard, who has been open about his own struggles with drugs and alcohol, asked O’Neal whether he ever felt dependent on pain pills during his prime. Instead of answering directly, Shaq posed a question of his own.
“Is addicting for the chemical effect or are you just taking it? Because I was having a heated discussion with my doctors like, ‘You were addicted.’ But I didn’t feel high,” Shaq explained.
Shepard, speaking from personal experience in recovery, pointed out that addiction isn’t just about euphoria, it can also be about escaping both physical and mental pain. Shaq responded, “I don’t think I was suffering mentally,” making it clear he didn’t see himself as emotionally reliant on the medication.
That didn’t stop him from taking more than prescribed, however. “I would always do homeboy math. It says take one, I’m taking three,” he joked, referencing how his massive size led him to believe he needed extra doses.
Keeping his usage under wraps
While the Lakers’ training staff was aware of his painkiller use, O’Neal admitted he kept it hidden from those closest to him. “The trainers knew,” he said.
“I mean I’m not telling my wife or my kids or my boys.” At the time, Shaq was married to Shaunie O’Neal, and although his medication use wasn’t the cause of their eventual divorce, it added a layer of secrecy to their relationship.
O’Neal revealed that he had misunderstood what “addiction” truly meant, initially equating it with the stereotypical image of a junkie. Shepard clarified that addiction can also mean being “preoccupied” by a substance, something the podcast host admitted he was as a “high-functioning” addict.
Shaq insisted that, while he may have overindulged during the season, he never took painkillers in the offseason. In his mind, that lack of year-round dependence meant he didn’t fit the definition of an addict.
Today, O’Neal still manages his body but leans on other remedies. His long-standing partnership with Icy Hot, a relationship spanning nearly 20 years, symbolizes his shift toward non-prescription pain relief.
Even in retirement, he’s stayed active, wrestling in AEW just four years ago and continuing to train with his sons while traveling for Inside the NBA.
Through it all, Shaq remains adamant: he may have relied on painkillers at times, but he does not see himself as an addict, and his enduring strength suggests he’s left that chapter behind.
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