It has been 19 years since the Orlando Magic drafted promising young center Shaquille O’Neal with the first pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, but since then the man with unlimited nicknames has become an NBA legend and a four-time NBA champion.
Even though Shaq has played for six different NBA franchises during his time in the league, the Big Aristotle has had an impact on all six teams. There is no doubt that Shaq’s skills have declined with every team he played for after the Miami Heat, but he still had the reputation for being an unstoppable force in the paint when he wanted to be.
With 15 All-Star appearances, one NBA MVP award, three All-Star Game MVPs, three NBA Finals MVPs and four NBA titles, Shaq has cemented himself as one of the most successful big man of all-time. Obviously, Shaq never scored as many points as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or was as dominant as Wilt Chamberlain in his prime, but he could easily be compared with the likes of these great NBA centers and Los Angeles Lakers legends.
There is no question that Shaquille O’Neal’s legacy began with the Los Angeles Lakers. Yes, Shaq did lead the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals only to lose to Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets, but it wasn’t until he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers that he really started to make an impact on the league.
With Shaq paired up with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, there was no stopping the Lakers as they went on to appear in four straight NBA Finals and win three straight NBA titles. A dynasty and legend was born as Shaq became the best big man in the league.
On June 3, 2011, Shaquille O’Neal called it quits after 19 seasons in the NBA. A future as an NBA analyst is the horizon with ESPN or another network.
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