FMWF Chamber: Shaquille O’Neal Shares Story for Voices of Vision

this the eighth speaker the chamber has brought to fargo

FARGO, ND — One of the biggest names in basketball comes to Fargo.

The chamber of commerce brought Shaquille O’Neal to speak at its “Voices of Vision” presentation.

Jason Aamet said he’s only been nervous three times in his life.

“When my baby was born, when I got married and today,” he said.

After 30 years of waiting to meet his idol, Aamet finally met former NBA star, Shaquille O’Neal.

“He’s a big man,” Aamet said. “I was a big man in high school playing basketball so you know, you always look to your idol.”

He idolizes O’Neal so much that his first born son’s name is O’Neal.

However, he isn’t the only one who was excited to see the famous Shaq.

“The minute he walked in the door, the excitement just became electric and of course you saw him and he’s bigger than life,” said Craig Whitney, president and CEO of the Chamber.

Whitney said they brought O’Neal to speak at their eighth annual “Voices of Vision” because of his accomplishments on and off the basketball court.

Much of Shaq’s speech was about his career, teamwork and business.

Through it all, he’s carried one life lesson.

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened,” O’Neal said. “Dr. Suess. Yes, I have six kids, I have to read through all these books.”

O’Neal said he always remembers not to take himself too seriously.

“You guys may look at me and say ‘Shaq, you shoot 57 percent from the free-throw line.’ But my response is ‘no, I shoot 100 percent, 57 percent of the time,'” O’Neil said.

Of all his accomplishments, there’s only one thing he says he wants to be remembered for.

“I just want people to say ‘Shaq was a nice guy’,” O’Neil said.

“Very, very genuine, nice,” Aamet said. “Some people have that soft handshake. That was a definite, very realistic. I still don’t really know what to think right now.”

The chamber is already taking suggestions for next year’s speaker.