Shaquille O’Neal
While he’s no longer hitting the hardwood, Shaquille O’Neal still casts a massive shadow over the NBA landscape.
After towering over the NCAA competition at LSU, O’Neal entered into the 1992 NBA Draft and joined the Orlando Magic as the first overall pick. Shaq didn’t miss a beat and quickly emerged as a dominant force in the paint. A championship, however, never materialized, and the big man eventually left for Hollywood.
With the Lakers, O’Neal famously teamed up with Kobe Bryant. While the two men didn’t always see eye-to-eye, they did earn three NBA titles together in Los Angeles. The Diesel then returned to Florida, where he’d win a fourth ring with the Miami Heat, before bouncing around the league and ultimately retiring in 2011.
In addition to his on-court exploits — Shaq still stands tall as one of the greatest big men to ever play the game — the center hasn’t slowed down in retirement. He’s a prolific investor, a celebrity pitchman, and a part of TNT’s NBA coverage.
- Former teams: Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics
- Position: Center
- Accomplishments: Four-time NBA champion, three-time NBA Finals MVP, 1993 Rookie of the Year, 2000 NBA MVP, inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016
- Drafted: No. 1 overall in 1992 by the Orlando Magic
- Shooting hand: Right
- Nicknames: Shaq, Diesel, The Big Aristotle
Read the latest about Shaquille O’Neal’s playing career and history:
Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal had a monster game against the Clippers 20 hyears ago on his birthday.
Pat Riley’s silent message to Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in the 2005-06 NBA finals was very effective.
Remembering Shaquille O’Neal’s epic college basketball matchup with Loyola Marymount’s Hank Gathers 30 years ago.
Shaquille O’Neal has found success as both a basketball player and a business man thanks to one motivating factor.
Purists might not like James Harden’s isolation offense, but the Rockets guard believes Michael Jordan did the same thing on the court.
The entire sports world was shaken by the death of Kobe Bryant. Shaquille O’Neal’s son, Shareef, is still being inspired by Kobe.
After Kobe Bryant’s tragic death, Shaquille O’Neal has vowed to change his life in one specific way.
When it comes to the NBA, very few players were bigger, both literally and figuratively, than Shaquille O’Neal. During his playing career, the center established himself as one of the game’s dominant big men; these days, Shaq seems to be everywhere on your TV. Despite his success, though, Shaquille O’Neal hasn’t forgotten where he came […]
How did Dwight Howard’s long-standing feud with Shaquille O’Neal help the Lakers center improve his game on the basketball court?
For years, Shaquille O’Neal has given Dwight Howard a hard time. Even the veteran center, however, is praising Howard’s play with the Los Angeles Lakers.
