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 ed 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:
How many opponents successfully dunked on Shaq? If you take the big man at his word, only three accomplished the feat.
If not for his father and a jarring reality check, Shaquille O’Neal might still be struggling to perform under pressure.
While he might occasionally seem a bit brash and overconfident, Shaquille O’Neal certainly understands his place in NBA history.
While Shaquille O’Neal always possessed plenty of basketball talent, he wouldn’t be the person he is today without Bill Russell.
When you’re earning massive amounts of money, it’s easy to let your spending go a bit overboard. Shaquille O’Neal experienced that reality firsthand.
After their time together in Boston, Glen Davis couldn’t bring himself to put Shaq on his dream pick-up squad.
When Jerry West brought Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers, he knew that he had something special brewing.
Shaquille O’Neal is never short on confidence. His response to Step Curry’s claim that the 2017 Warriors would beat the 2001 Lakers is further proof of that.
Shaquille O’Neal certainly knows how to make an impression. Just ask Allan Houston about the time they went on a college visit together.
A look at forgotten NBA duos who played more games together than Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving did with the Brooklyn Nets.
