Shaquille O'Neal earns Master of Arts from LSU

Shaquille O’Neal, the Hall of Fame basketball legend and cultural icon, added another academic milestone to his already extensive resume on May 16, 2026, when he walked across the stage at Louisiana State University to receive a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The ceremony, held at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center where O’Neal once dominated as a college player, also included him delivering the commencement address to the Class of 2026.

O’Neal’s thesis, titled “Interdisciplinary Approach to Mentorship through the lens of the epic poem The Odyssey,” reflects his ongoing work guiding younger athletes. He has previously noted a gap in professional sports, where few certified sports psychologists have elite playing experience, and said he wanted to use his firsthand perspective to help mentor the next generation. The degree required 54 credit hours across 16 courses plus additional research, and O’Neal earned a cumulative GPA of 3.813.

The moment, however, was not without O’Neal’s characteristic humor. During the graduation ceremony, when his name was announced, the announcer read it as “Shaquille I Hate Charles Barkley O’Neal,” a...