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:
Shaquille O’Neal reminded Grant Hill he was a fully-fledged superstar from the very first time he set foot on an NBA floor.
Shaquille O’Neal already owns four NBA championship rings but could have 15 by Friday if all goes according to plan.
Shaquille O’Neal gave a fuming Julius Randle some simple advice after losing to the Brooklyn Nets.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal’s shoes are massive. But one time, Shaq couldn’t fit into a pair of Air Jordans, so he placed them into hot water to make them grow.
Shaquille O’Neal blasted NBA officials with an infamous rant on live television in 2004. The tirade cost him a big chunk of change.
Shaquille O’Neal’s success on and off the court has contributed to his massive net worth, but one of Shaq’s biggest investments actually only happened because of a babysitting opportunity.
Scottie Pippen recently praised Shaq and Kobe’s Lakers, saying they were much more dangerous than the Warriors’ superteam. But Pip had a quick response when asked to compare them to the Bulls.
Shaquille O’Neal’s success has helped him rack up a huge net worth, and Shaq’s wealth could now get even larger thanks to his restaurant that has a “Charles Barkley” sandwich among others.
With the Miami Heat struggling to establish any semblance of momentum in the 2006 NBA Finals, Shaquille O’Neal took it upon himself to send a message to Dwyane Wade. Flash responded with one of the most epic individual runs in Finals history.
Before he became known for thunderous dunks, Shaquille O’Neal catered to his dreams of being Magic Johnson. Those dreams were dashed in a hurry because of his stepfather, and Shaq looked to a journeyman center for inspiration in finishing around the basket. That eventually gave birth to the “Dunkman” logo.
