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Riley was dissatisfied with Shaquille O'Neal, because this superstar, who had achieved a three-peat in Los Angeles, had never been a hard-working professional player. Moreover, he was completely out of sync with the professional mission of the Miami Heat—the team known throughout the League as the hardest training, with the best physical condition, the most ethical, the most selfless, the toughest, the dirtiest, and the least likable.

Although Shaq had responded to Riley's desire for him to lose weight in February, deep down, he had always rejected Riley's philosophy. He didn't see basketball as a war or a symbol of manhood. To him, it was just a game.

Shaq enjoyed dressing up as his favorite movie character, Scarface, at parties, and he had even played roles in movies and served as a deputy marshal in the United States. His life was like "Back to the Past," childlike adulthood filled with fun.