Shaquille O’Neal’s son Shareef’s thoughtless act left his stepfather worried about being arrested while driving

Shaquille O’Neal has never been one to hold back, either on the field or in his comments. And one way the four-time NBA champion did that? Tattoos. Just like their father, his sons Shareef and Shaqir also followed suit, both in basketball and tattooing. But her love of tattoos almost got her stepfather Keion into trouble. According to Keion, the situation left him abandoned “Scared to death.” So what exactly happened?

Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-wife Shaunie and her husband Keion recently sat down for an episode of The Groow Zone Podcast. They spoke openly about their family life, but one story really stood out. Keion recalled a nerve-wracking moment while driving Shareef, Shaqir and Greg to basketball practice. As he tells it, “Shareef has 10% skin and 90% tattoos” and Shaqir isn’t far behind.

As the windows were rolled down, the shirts were off, and they drove through Texas, Keion admitted he felt a wave of fear. Why? According to him, in Texas, “When people see black men with tattoos, they see thugs. When they see others with tattoos, they see art.” The tension didn’t stop there.

With the children shirtless and their arms hanging out of the windows, Keion went on to explain how he believed a police officer might pull them over if he assumed the worst. “I thought, oh my God, a police officer is going to pull us over and assume there are four drug dealers in this expensive car.” he said on the podcast.

His answer? “I tell the guys, ‘Put your arm in the window, roll up the window, straighten the seat and put on a T-shirt so we can get home.'” Interestingly, while this was a common sight in California, where the boys grew up, Keion pointed out how different things were in Texas.

Of course, it’s not uncommon for athletes to have tattoos – just look at Shaq. The 15-time NBA All-Star has nine tattoos of his own, making him a prime example of what basketball star culture is all about.

What’s fascinating is that despite his love of ink, Shaq didn’t come from a background that was interested in tattoos. Raised by his mother Lucille O’Neal and his stepfather Phillip A. Harrison, a strict drill sergeant, Shaq had to ask permission before getting his first tattoo. Now the big man proudly wears his nine pieces of body art, each with a story of its own.

Shaquille O’Neal and his tattoos

It’s no secret that Shaquille O’Neal loves his iconic nickname: “Superman.” The ongoing feud between him and Dwight Howard over the title is proof enough. So it’s only fitting that Shaq has not one, but two Superman tattoos. On his right shoulder he has a tattoo of flames with the words “AGAINST THE LAW” directly above the famous Superman logo. Some believe this ink reflects Shaq’s respect for law enforcement, a nod to the discipline he values.

Shaq moves along his right arm, holding a globe with the words “The world is mine.” According to reports, this tattoo is a personal motivator that pushes him to achieve his goals. It’s a fitting reminder for someone who dominated the NBA. Directly below you can see a ripped man wearing boxing gloves and the word “LARGE,” a tribute to his love of martial arts.

Shaq proudly wears the word on his right forearm “DOG,” which fits his perfectly “LARGE” Tattoo that forms the sentence “Big Dog”– a nickname he often calls himself.

His love for the Superman identity continues with another logo on his left shoulder, inscribed “ “MAN OF STEEL.” About that the word “DIESEL” is inked, another nod to his DJ persona. And Shaq’s inked tributes don’t stop there. On his chest he has “DIESEL DOC”, while his left wrist bears his daughters’ names.

So tattoos are part of O’Neal’s family now. While his sons were unaware of the possible consequences in another state, Keion Henderson just wanted to make sure his stepsons were not harmed.