“I Apologized to the Big Three, But Not Anyone Else”: Shaquille O’Neal Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Celtics Truth

When Shaquille O’Neal joined the Boston Celtics for the 2010–11 season, he brought with him almost two decades of NBA experience, four championship rings, and a reputation as one of the game’s most colorful figures. But behind the scenes, the Big Diesel’s legendary personality also clashed with Boston’s ironclad core of leaders, adding a twist to Shaq’s already storied career.

Now, O’Neal’s latest revelation is giving fans a rare look into the locker room dynamics that shaped that Celtics team: After missing a key practice that season, Shaq admitted he only apologized to the Celtics’ “Big Three”—Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen—while snubbing the rest of the roster.

“I apologized to the Big Three but not anyone else,” O’Neal said in a candid reflection on his Celtics stint, per ESPN.

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The Missed Practice That Sparked a Quiet Storm

Ask any Celtics fan and they’ll tell you: Diesel never had the relentless “first-in, last-out” approach of a Kobe Bryant. Playful and imposing, Shaq’s larger-than-life persona made him one of basketball’s most entertaining stars—and often one of its most hilariously unrepentant.

That reputation followed him to Boston. After a hard-fought win over the Toronto Raptors shortly before Thanksgiving, the Celtics’ whiteboard, the nerve center of their scheduling, told players when to report back.

Shaq, by his own admission, glanced at the board and saw only “flight at 3.” Reading this as the next team commitment, he took an extra day off—missing a scheduled practice altogether.

“When a guy doesn’t have a history or something, it happens,” then-coach Doc Rivers shrugged, defending his veteran. For Rivers, it was a minor misunderstanding.

But for the rest of the Celtics, it said something deeper.

Selective Apologies—and Selective Authority

Here’s where the subtle drama unfolds. O’Neal, now years removed from the hardwood, openly revealed he didn’t feel obligated to address the entire roster with an apology—just the superstars.

Why? Because in his mind, there were “generals” in that locker room, and they were the ones steering the ship: Garnett, Pierce, and Allen.

Their standing in Boston was untouchable. After leading the Celtics to a long-awaited title in 2008, their leadership was beyond question—even as the years piled on and their stats slowly declined.

Shaq’s selective apology, in his words, sent a clear message about the Celtics’ internal hierarchy. “Those were the guys running the team,” he said, implying that for everyone else, no explanation was necessary.

Shaq’s History of Absenteeism

This wasn’t the first time O’Neal’s practice attendance came into question. Famously, his laid-back approach clashed with the all-business mentality of Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles—a tension that became a subplot of three consecutive championships and subsequent superstar fallout.

There are stories of fines. In 2002, Phil Jackson docked Shaq’s pay after he skipped a Lakers practice, reportedly still bristling over a previous ejection. Another time, Shaq missed practice for the birth of his daughter; a valid reason, though the team wasn’t informed properly.

Throughout O’Neal’s career, these incidents fed a perception: For all his talent, Shaq could sometimes operate on “Shaq Time.” And while Boston’s coaching staff played down his latest misstep, his confession years later highlights a remarkable truth about sports and leadership—one that resonates even today.

The Big Three’s Iron Grip

By 2010–11, Boston was still living in the afterglow of its 2008 triumph—powered by the Big Three. The trio’s combined Hall of Fame gravitas commanded respect not only from coaches and teammates, but from legends like O’Neal as well.

When O’Neal was asked why he limited his apology, his answer was simple: Only Garnett, Pierce, and Allen were owed one. The rest of the team, in effect, didn’t factor into the inner circle of discipline, strategy, or accountability.

This dynamic was never more visible than during Shaq’s tenure. He referred to his three superstar teammates as “the generals,” showing where true power at the time resided. Even a four-time NBA champion like O’Neal, at age 38, recognized their supremacy.

Boston’s internal structure wasn’t unique in professional sports—the best players always command locker-room attention—but Shaq’s bluntness peels back the curtain on how those hierarchies take hold.

Lasting Impact on Team Culture

The Big Three’s leadership remained unquestioned until Ray Allen left for the Miami Heat in 2012—years after Shaq’s Boston stint. When Allen departed and Garnett and Pierce followed in a blockbuster move to Brooklyn, Boston’s competitive spark remained, but something was lost behind closed doors.

On the court, the Celtics adjusted. New leaders emerged. But in the locker room, that sense of authority, discipline, and clear pecking order faded, according to players and staff who lived it.

O’Neal’s story echoes with more than nostalgia. It’s a reminder that superstars don’t just lead with points—they define the culture, the expectations, and even the boundaries of forgiveness within a franchise.

Shaq: Still Unapologetically Himself

For all his size and skill, it was O’Neal’s candid personality that made him a favorite with generations of fans. Whether standing on a championship stage or reliving awkward moments on podcasts, Shaq’s words pull back the curtain and reveal the personalities that make sports unforgettable.

His most recent admission—apologizing only to the Big Three—may seem like a minor footnote. But for basketball junkies, it’s one more glimpse into the DNA of a championship team, the mind of a Hall of Famer, and a league forever changed by its stars.