Basketball Greats - Shaquille O’Neal

Often simply referred to as “The Shaq”, Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal is recently one of the most dominant players in the NBA. At 7’1”, 326 pounds, and a remarkable shoe size 22, this giant is well known simply for his size and is a force to be reckoned with. Having entered professional basketball at the age of 20, his thirteen year career (which began with the Orlando Magic) has been stellar, and many believe that Shaq will finish his career as one of the best centers of all time.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 6, 1972, Shaq was named by his biological father (to whom he is not close). Many believe that his name means “little warrior” in Arabic, but this impossible, as neither of his names is Arabic. His mother married a United States Army sergeant, the man Shaq sees as his father figure, and he proceeded to spend some of his childhood in Germany (Bavaria), where he learned to play basketball.

He first gained the attention of the nation as the star of his high school team in San Antonio, Texas. He was named High School Player of the Year and attended Louisiana State University, earning a bachelor’s in business. He still holds the record for shots blocked in a single game (17). In 1992, the Orlando Magic drafted him as the first overall pick, and before joining the team, he spent most of his summer studying with Magic Johnson in California.

His amazing rookie year with the Magic proved to bring the team to the verge of the playoffs, missing them by just a single game. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year and played in the All-Star game, scoring 14 points. After that first season, he returned to Los Angeles and scored a role in the movie Blue Chips, as well as a recording contract, recording rap music.

The next season proved to be even better, and in his third season, O’Neal led the NBA in scoring. In the 1995-96 season, O’Neal wasn’t able to play much due to injury, and after the season ended, he was a free agent. At the same time, O’Neal was finding interests elsewhere; he was recording rap albums, taking on movie roles, and taking classes at LSU (he had promised his mother he would graduate). He played on the US Olympic Team that summer as well, winning a gold medal, and returned to the NBA as a Laker.

With a significant number of injuries, he had three frustrating seasons in Los Angeles, before leading the Lakers to three consecutive NBA titles and being named MVP for all three of these series. Due to salary caps, he left the Lakers after this and moved to Miami, and he surpassed expectations, leading the team to have the best record in the Eastern Conference in the 2004 season. In 2005, Shaq signed a 5 year extension with the Miami Heat, though he has played a record low number of minutes per game with several injuries plaguing him.

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