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:
While Shaquille O’Neal was trying to explain how the LA Lakers can improve during the offseason, he inadvertently highlighted the club’s crippling financial problem.
Shaq isn’t confident in the LA Lakers making the NBA Playoffs, but, if they do, he backs them to pull off a major upset.
Shaquille O’Neal wasn’t too pleased with how Dennis Rodman carried himself at the NBA 75 celebration during All-Star Weekend.
According to Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t believe there’s any strategy in basketball.
Several players who deserved to be on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team didn’t receive the recognition. However, Shaquille O’Neal wonders if Bill Walton actually deserved the spot given to him.
With his success at Jackson State, some think that Deion Sanders would make a great NFL coach, including a certain NBA legend.
Shaquille O’Neal wouldn’t have made it to the NBA if it wasn’t for his stepfather, Phillip Harrison.
Shaquille O’Neal is fed up with Ben Simmons, and he believes Joel Embiid deserves the MVP for carrying the 76ers without him.
LeBron James was a massive star in high school, so a prime Shaquille O’Neal even attended one of his games. Shaq says he was instantly impressed with the teenage King.
Gary Payton recently said Shaquille O’Neal became frustrated while on the Heat before he later had a talk with him about Miami being Dwyane Wade’s team.
