1. Early Life and Education
Shaquille O'Neal's early life was shaped by his family background and frequent relocations due to his stepfather's military career, which eventually led him to a prominent collegiate basketball career at Louisiana State University.
1.1. Childhood and Family Background
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal was born on March 6, 1972, in Newark, New Jersey. His biological father, Joe Toney, was a high school basketball star who received a scholarship to Seton Hall University but struggled with drug addiction and was imprisoned for drug possession when O'Neal was an infant. After his release, Toney did not re-enter O'Neal's life and agreed to relinquish his parental rights to O'Neal's stepfather, Phillip Arthur Harrison, a career Army sergeant. O'Neal remained estranged from his biological father for decades, even expressing disdain in his 1994 rap song "Biological Didn't Bother" with the line "Phil is my father." However, after Harrison's death in 2013, O'Neal's feelings softened, and he met Toney for the first time in March 2016, telling him, "I don't hate you. I had a good life. I had Phil."
O'Neal came from a tall family; his father was 6 in and his mother was 6 in. By age 13, O'Neal was already 6 in tall. He credited the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Newark for providing a safe place to play and keeping him off the streets, stating, "It gave me something to do. I'd just go there to shoot. I didn't even play on a team." Due to his stepfather's military career, the family moved to military bases in Germany and Texas.
After returning from Germany, O'Neal's family settled in San Antonio, Texas. By age 16, he had grown to 6 in and began playing basketball at Robert G. Cole High School. He led his team to an impressive 68-1 record over two years and helped them win the state championship during his senior year. His 791 rebounds during the 1989 season remain a state record for any classification. O'Neal's ability to execute hook shots drew comparisons to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, inspiring him to wear Abdul-Jabbar's jersey number, No. 33. However, since his high school team did not have a No. 33 jersey, O'Neal chose to wear No. 32 before college.
1.2. College Basketball Career
After graduating from high school in 1989, O'Neal pursued a business degree at Louisiana State University (LSU). He had first met Tigers coach Dale Brown years earlier in Europe when O'Neal's stepfather was stationed at a U.S. Army base in Wildflecken, West Germany.
While playing for Brown at LSU, O'Neal became a highly decorated collegiate player. He was a two-time All-American, a two-time SEC Player of the Year, and received the Adolph Rupp Trophy as the NCAA men's basketball player of the year in 1991. He was also named college player of the year by the Associated Press and UPI. O'Neal set an NCAA record for the most blocks in a single game with 17 against Mississippi State University on December 3, 1990. He also led the nation in rebounding in 1991 and in blocks in 1992.
O'Neal decided to leave LSU early to begin his NBA career, but he continued his education even after becoming a professional player. He was later inducted into the LSU Hall of Fame, and a 900 lb (900 lb) bronze statue of O'Neal is prominently displayed in front of the LSU Basketball Practice Facility. His jersey number, 33, was retired by the LSU Tigers.
2. Professional Career
Shaquille O'Neal's 19-year NBA career was marked by unparalleled dominance, multiple championships, and a significant impact on every team he played for, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest centers in basketball history.
2.1. Orlando Magic (1992-1996)
O'Neal's tenure with the Orlando Magic saw him immediately establish himself as a dominant force, leading the team to its first NBA Finals appearance.
2.1.1. Rookie of the Year (1992-1993)
The Orlando Magic selected O'Neal as the 1st overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft. Before moving to Orlando, he spent time in Los Angeles training under Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. O'Neal chose to wear number 32 for the Magic because Terry Catledge refused to give up the number 33 jersey.
O'Neal made an immediate impact, becoming the first player in NBA history to be named "Player of the Week" in his first week in the league. During his 1992-93 season, he averaged 23.4 points on 56.2% shooting, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game, placing him in the top 10 in all four categories. His powerful dunks famously broke the steel backboard supports on two occasions, prompting the league to reinforce backboards for the following 1993-94 season. O'Neal was named the 1993 NBA Rookie of the Year and was the first rookie to be voted an All-Star starter since Michael Jordan in 1985. The Magic finished the season 41-41, a 20-game improvement from the previous season, but narrowly missed the playoffs due to a tie-breaker with the Indiana Pacers. O'Neal was noted for expressing his desire for a coaching change, stating, "We've got to get [head coach] Matty [Guokas]] out of here and bring in [assistant] Brian [Hill]]."
2.1.2. First Playoff Appearance (1993-1994)
For the 1993-94 season, Brian Hill took over as head coach, with Guokas reassigned to the front office. O'Neal continued to improve, increasing his scoring average to 29.4 points, second only to David Robinson, while leading the NBA in field goal percentage at 60%. On November 20, 1993, against the New Jersey Nets, O'Neal recorded the first triple-double of his career with 24 points, a career-high 28 rebounds, and 15 blocks. He was voted into the All-Star game and earned a spot on the All-NBA 3rd Team. Paired with newly drafted Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway, the Magic achieved a 50-32 record and made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. In his first playoff series, O'Neal averaged 20.7 points and 13.3 rebounds, but the Pacers swept the Magic in three games.
2.1.3. First Scoring Title and NBA Finals (1994-1996)
In O'Neal's third season, 1994-95, he led the NBA in scoring with a 29.3 point average. He finished second in MVP voting to David Robinson and made his third consecutive All-Star Game appearance alongside Hardaway. With the addition of Horace Grant, O'Neal and Hardaway formed one of the league's most potent duos, leading Orlando to a 57-25 record and the Atlantic Division crown. The Magic secured their first-ever playoff series victory against the Boston Celtics in the 1995 NBA playoffs, then defeated the Chicago Bulls in the conference semifinals (despite Michael Jordan's return). After beating Reggie Miller's Indiana Pacers, the Magic reached the NBA Finals, where they faced the defending NBA champion Houston Rockets. O'Neal performed well in his first Finals, averaging 28 points on 59.5% shooting, 12.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. However, the Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, swept the series in four games.
O'Neal was sidelined for a significant portion of the 1995-96 season, missing 28 games. He averaged 26.6 points and 11 rebounds per game, earned an All-NBA 3rd Team selection, and played in his fourth All-Star Game. Despite O'Neal's injuries, the Magic finished with a 60-22 regular season record, second in the Eastern Conference to the Chicago Bulls, who achieved an NBA record 72 wins. Orlando easily defeated the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks in the first two rounds of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. However, they were swept by Jordan's Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals. During this period, Hardaway signed a larger contract than O'Neal, and their relationship became strained.
2.2. Los Angeles Lakers (1996-2004)
O'Neal's time with the Los Angeles Lakers marked the peak of his career, highlighted by three consecutive NBA championships and multiple individual accolades, though it was also characterized by growing tensions with teammate Kobe Bryant.
2.2.1. O'Neal-Bryant tandem buildup (1996-1999)
O'Neal became a free agent after the 1995-96 NBA season. In the summer of 1996, he was part of the gold medal-winning United States Olympic basketball team in Atlanta. During the Olympic team's training in Orlando, a local poll asked if the Magic should fire coach Brian Hill if it was a condition for O'Neal's return; 82% responded "no." O'Neal had a power struggle with Hill, stating the team "just didn't respect [Hill]." Another poll question asked if O'Neal was worth $115 million, the amount of the Magic's offer; 91.3% said he was not. O'Neal was also upset by the Orlando media's scrutiny of his personal life, comparing his lack of privacy to "feeling like a big fish in a dried-up pond." He also learned that Hardaway considered himself the leader of the Magic and didn't want O'Neal earning more.
On July 14, 1996, O'Neal joined the Los Angeles Lakers on a seven-year, 121.00 M USD contract. He insisted he did not choose Los Angeles for the money, stating, "I'm tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok." The Lakers won 56 games during the 1996-97 season. O'Neal averaged 26.2 points and 12.5 rebounds in his first season with Los Angeles, despite missing over 30 games due to injury. In his first playoff game for the Lakers, O'Neal scored 46 points against the Portland Trail Blazers, the most for a Laker in a playoff game since Jerry West in 1969. The Lakers were eliminated in the second round by the Utah Jazz in five games. On December 17, 1996, O'Neal shoved Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls, stating he was willing to be suspended for fighting Rodman and that "It's one thing to talk tough and one thing to be tough."
The 1997-98 season, O'Neal averaged 28.3 points and 11.4 rebounds, leading the league with a 58.4 field goal percentage, the first of four consecutive seasons doing so. The Lakers finished 61-21, first in the Pacific Division, and were the second seed in the Western Conference during the 1998 NBA Playoffs. After defeating the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics, the Lakers again fell to the Jazz, this time in a 4-0 sweep.
With the tandem of O'Neal and teenage superstar Kobe Bryant, expectations for the Lakers grew. However, personnel changes created instability during the 1998-99 season. Long-time Laker point guard Nick Van Exel was traded, and Eddie Jones was traded with back-up center Elden Campbell for Glen Rice to satisfy O'Neal's demand for a shooter. Coach Del Harris was fired, and former Lakers forward Kurt Rambis finished the season as head coach. The Lakers finished with a 31-19 record during the lockout-shortened season. They made the playoffs but were swept by the San Antonio Spurs, led by Tim Duncan and David Robinson, in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. The Spurs went on to win their first NBA title in 1999.
2.2.2. MVP and Championship Seasons (1999-2002)
In 1999, prior to the 1999-2000 season, the Los Angeles Lakers hired Phil Jackson as head coach, which quickly turned the team's fortunes around. Jackson immediately challenged O'Neal, telling him "the [NBA's] MVP trophy should be named after him when he retired."
On November 10, 1999, in a game against the Houston Rockets, O'Neal and Charles Barkley were ejected after O'Neal shoved Barkley following a blocked layup, leading to Barkley throwing the ball at O'Neal. On March 6, 2000, O'Neal's 28th birthday, he scored a career-high 61 points along with 23 rebounds and 3 assists in a 123-103 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. This 61-point game was the last in NBA history where a player scored 60 or more points without hitting a 3-pointer until Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2023.
O'Neal was voted the 1999-2000 regular season Most Valuable Player, falling one vote short of becoming the first unanimous MVP in NBA history, as Fred Hickman chose Allen Iverson. O'Neal also won the scoring title while finishing second in rebounds and third in blocked shots. Jackson's influence led to O'Neal's renewed commitment to defense, resulting in his first NBA All-Defensive Team selection (second-team) in 2000.
In the 2001 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, O'Neal fouled out in Game 3 after backing over Dikembe Mutombo, the 2000-2001 Defensive Player of the Year. O'Neal criticized Mutombo for "flopping," stating, "I didn't think the best defensive player in the game would be flopping like that. It's a shame that the referees buy into that. I wish he'd stand up and play me like a man instead of flopping and crying every time I back him down."
A month before the 2001 season's training camp, O'Neal underwent corrective surgery for a claw toe deformity in the smallest toe of his left foot, opting against a more involved surgery for a quicker return, though the toe frequently bothered him throughout the season. In January 2002, he was involved in an on-court brawl against the Chicago Bulls, punching center Brad Miller after an intentional foul. This resulted in a melee and O'Neal being suspended for three games without pay and fined 15.00 K USD. For the season, O'Neal averaged 27.2 points and 10.7 rebounds, which were excellent statistics but below his career average, and he was less of a defensive force.
Matched against the Sacramento Kings in the 2002 Western Conference finals, O'Neal famously said, "There is only one way to beat us. It starts with c and ends with t," implying "cheat" in reference to the alleged flopping of Kings' center Vlade Divac. O'Neal referred to Divac as "she" and asserted he would never exaggerate contact to draw a foul, stating, "I'm a guy with no talent who has gotten this way with hard work."
After the 2001-2002 season, O'Neal expressed to friends that he did not want another season of limping and constant pain from his big right toe, which had affected his mobility. He considered a more invasive surgery but decided against it due to the longer recovery time.
Using Jackson's triangle offense, O'Neal and Bryant achieved tremendous success, leading the Lakers to three consecutive titles (2000, 2001, and 2002). O'Neal was named MVP of the NBA Finals all three times and holds the highest scoring average for a center in NBA Finals history. The three-peat was a historic achievement, making the Lakers only the third team in NBA history to accomplish it, alongside the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls.
2.2.3. Toe Surgery to Departure (2002-2004)
O'Neal missed the first 12 games of the 2002-03 season while recovering from toe surgery for hallux rigidus, a degenerative arthritis in his toe. He controversially waited until just before training camp for the surgery, explaining, "I got hurt on company time, so I'll heal on company time." The Lakers started the season with a record of 11-19 and ultimately failed to reach the Finals in 2003.
For the 2003-04 season, the Lakers made a concerted effort to improve their roster, recruiting free agents Karl Malone and Gary Payton. O'Neal assisted in recruiting both players, who accepted lower salaries for a chance to win an NBA championship. At the beginning of the 2003-04 season, O'Neal sought a contract extension with a pay raise on his remaining three years for 30.00 M USD. The Lakers hoped he would accept less due to his age, physical conditioning, and missed games. During a preseason game, O'Neal famously yelled at Lakers owner Jerry Buss, "Pay me." Tensions between O'Neal and Bryant escalated, culminating during training camp when Bryant, in an interview, criticized O'Neal for being out of shape, a poor leader, and prioritizing salary demands over team interest.
The Lakers made the playoffs in 2004 but lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals. Lakers assistant coach Tex Winter stated, "Shaq defeated himself against Detroit. He played way too passively. He had one big game... He's always interested in being a scorer, but he hasn't had nearly enough concentration on defense and rebounding." After the series, O'Neal was angered by comments from Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak regarding his future and by the departure of Phil Jackson at Buss's request. O'Neal commented that he felt the team's decisions were aimed at appeasing Bryant, leading him to promptly demand a trade. Kupchak initially sought Dirk Nowitzki from the Dallas Mavericks, but owner Mark Cuban refused. The Miami Heat showed interest, and a trade was eventually agreed upon. Winter later commented that O'Neal "left because he couldn't get what he wanted-a huge pay raise. There was no way ownership could give him what he wanted. Shaq's demands held the franchise hostage, and the way he went about it didn't please the owner too much."
2.3. Miami Heat (2004-2008)
O'Neal's move to the Miami Heat revitalized his career, leading to another NBA championship alongside Dwyane Wade.
2.3.1. MVP Runner-up (2004-2005)
On July 14, 2004, O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and a future first-round draft choice (which the Lakers used to select Jordan Farmar in 2006). O'Neal reverted from his Lakers jersey number 34 to number 32, which he had worn with the Magic. Upon signing, O'Neal promised fans he would bring a championship to Miami, citing his desire to play with up-and-coming star Dwyane Wade, whom he nicknamed "Flash."
With O'Neal, the Heat exceeded expectations, achieving the best record in the Eastern Conference in 2004-05 with 59 wins. He played in 73 games, his most since the 2001 season, averaging 22.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. O'Neal earned his 12th consecutive All-Star selection, made the All-NBA 1st Team, and won the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award for March. He narrowly lost the 2004-05 MVP Award to Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash in one of the closest votes in NBA history.
Despite being hampered by a deep thigh bruise, O'Neal led the Heat to the Eastern Conference finals against the defending champion Detroit Pistons, losing in a narrow Game 7. Afterward, O'Neal and others criticized Heat head coach Stan Van Gundy for not calling enough plays for O'Neal. In August 2005, O'Neal signed a 5-year, 100.00 M USD extension with the Heat. Supporters praised his willingness to take a pay cut and the Heat's decision to secure his services long-term, arguing he was worth more than 20.00 M USD per year.
2.3.2. Fourth Championship (2005-2006)
In the second game of the 2005-06 season, O'Neal injured his right ankle and subsequently missed the next 18 games. Upon his return, Van Gundy resigned, citing family reasons, and Pat Riley assumed head coach responsibilities. O'Neal later referred to Van Gundy as a "frontrunner" and a "master of panic." Many critics believed Riley correctly managed O'Neal, limiting his minutes to a career low to keep him healthier for the playoffs. Although O'Neal averaged career lows (or near-lows) in points, rebounds, and blocks, he stated, "Stats don't matter. I care about winning, not stats. If I score 0 points and we win I'm happy. If I score 50, 60 points, break the records, and we lose, I'm pissed off. 'Cause I knew I did something wrong. I'll have a hell of a season if I win the championship and average 20 points a game." During the 2005-06 season, the Heat had only a .500 record without O'Neal in the lineup.
On April 11, 2006, O'Neal recorded his second career triple-double against the Toronto Raptors with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists. He finished the 2005-06 season as the league leader in field goal percentage, marking his ninth time achieving this feat, a record he shares with Wilt Chamberlain.
In the 2006 NBA Playoffs, the Heat first faced the younger Chicago Bulls. O'Neal delivered a dominating 27-point, 16-rebound, 5-block performance in Game 1, followed by a 22-point effort in Game 2, helping Miami take a 2-0 series lead. Miami closed out the series in Game 6, highlighted by another dominating performance by O'Neal, who finished with 30 points and 20 rebounds. Miami then advanced to face the New Jersey Nets, winning four straight games after an initial loss. In the Eastern Conference Finals rematch against Detroit, the Pistons had no answer for Wade. O'Neal contributed 21 points and 12 rebounds in Game 3, and 27 points and 12 boards in Game 4, helping Miami take a 3-1 series lead. Miami won Game 6 with O'Neal scoring 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 blocks, leading the Heat to their first-ever NBA Finals.
In the Finals, the Heat were underdogs against the Dallas Mavericks, led by Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavericks won the first two games at home convincingly. However, the Heat, led by Wade and a balanced effort from O'Neal, Antoine Walker, and Jason Williams, won the next three games at home before closing out the series in Dallas. This victory secured the first NBA title for the franchise and O'Neal's fourth championship. With Wade carrying the offensive load, O'Neal did not need a dominating series, finishing with averages of 13.7 points and 10.2 rebounds for the series.
2.3.3. Injury and Wade's Absence (2006-2007)
In the 2006 season, O'Neal missed 35 games after a left knee injury in November required surgery. After one of those missed games, a Christmas Day match-up against the Lakers, he criticized Phil Jackson, whom O'Neal had once called a second father, referring to his former coach as "Benedict Arnold." Jackson had previously stated, "The only person I've ever [coached] that hasn't been a worker... is probably Shaq." The Heat struggled during O'Neal's absence, but with his return, they won seven of their next eight games. However, bad luck continued as Wade dislocated his left shoulder, leaving O'Neal as the primary focus of the team. Critics doubted that O'Neal, now in his mid-30s, could carry the team into the playoffs. Despite this, the Heat went on a winning streak, securing a playoff spot against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 5.
In a rematch of the previous year, the Heat faced the Bulls in the first round of the 2006-07 NBA playoffs. The Heat struggled, and although O'Neal put up reasonable numbers, he was unable to dominate the series. The Bulls swept the Heat, marking the first time in 50 years that a defending NBA champion was swept in the opening round. It was also the first time in 13 years that O'Neal did not advance into the second round. In the 2006-07 season, O'Neal reached 25,000 career points, becoming the 14th player in NBA history to accomplish that milestone. However, it was the first season in O'Neal's career that his scoring average dropped below 20 points per game.
2.3.4. Career Lows and Disagreements (2007-2008)
O'Neal experienced a rough start to the 2007-08 season, averaging career lows in points, rebounds, and blocks. His role in the offense diminished, as he attempted only 10 field goals per game, compared to his career average of 17. Additionally, O'Neal was plagued by fouls, fouling out of five consecutive games during one stretch. O'Neal's streak of 14 straight All-Star appearances ended that season. He again missed games due to injuries, and the Heat endured a 15-game losing streak. According to O'Neal, Riley believed he was faking the injury. During a practice in February 2008, O'Neal had an altercation with Riley over the coach ordering a tardy Jason Williams to leave practice. The two argued face-to-face, with O'Neal poking Riley in the chest and Riley slapping his finger away. Riley soon after decided to trade O'Neal. O'Neal stated his relationship with Wade was not "all that good" by the time he left Miami, but he did not express disappointment at Wade for failing to stand up for him.
O'Neal played 33 games for the Miami Heat in the 2007-08 season before being traded to the Phoenix Suns. He started all 33 games and averaged 14.2 points per game. Following the trade to Phoenix, O'Neal averaged 12.9 points while starting all 28 games with the Suns.
2.4. Phoenix Suns (2008-2009)
The Phoenix Suns acquired O'Neal in February 2008 from the league-worst Miami Heat, who had a 9-37 record at the time of the trade, in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. O'Neal made his Suns debut on February 20, 2008, against his former Lakers team, scoring 15 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in a 130-124 loss. O'Neal was upbeat in a post-game press conference, stating, "I will take the blame for this loss because I wasn't in tune with the guys [...] But give me four or five days to really get in tune and I'll get it."
In 28 regular season games with the Suns, O'Neal averaged 12.9 points and 10.6 rebounds, contributing to their playoff qualification. One of the reasons for the trade was to limit Tim Duncan in a potential postseason matchup between the Suns and the San Antonio Spurs, especially after the Suns' six-game elimination by the Spurs in the 2007 NBA Playoffs. O'Neal and the Phoenix Suns did face the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs but were again eliminated, this time in five games. O'Neal averaged 15.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game in the series.
O'Neal expressed a preference for his new situation with the Suns over the Heat, stating, "I love playing for this coach and I love playing with these guys. We have professionals who know what to do. No one is asking me to play with [his former Heat teammates] Chris Quinn or Ricky Davis. I'm actually on a team again." Riley felt O'Neal was wrong for maligning his former teammates, to which O'Neal responded with an expletive toward Riley, whom he often referred to as the "great Pat Riley" while playing for the Heat. O'Neal credited the Suns training staff with prolonging his career; they linked his arthritic toe, which wouldn't bend, to an alteration in his jump that was straining his leg. The trainers focused on building his core strength, flexibility, and balance.
The 2008-09 season saw an improvement for O'Neal, who averaged 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks through the first half (41 games), leading the Suns to a 23-18 record and second place in their division. He returned to the All-Star Game in 2009 and was named co-MVP along with ex-teammate Kobe Bryant. On February 27, 2009, O'Neal scored 45 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, his 49th career 40-point game, in a 133-113 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
In a matchup against Orlando on March 3, 2009, O'Neal was outscored by Magic center Dwight Howard, 21-19. O'Neal commented, "I'm really too old to be trying to outscore 18-year-olds. It's not really my role anymore." He also noted that he was double-teamed most of the night, stating, "I like to play people one-on-one. My whole career I had to play people one-on-one. Never once had to double or ask for a double. But it's cool." During the game, O'Neal was accused of flopping against Howard by Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, who had coached O'Neal with the Heat. Van Gundy said he was "very disappointed cause [O'Neal] knows what it's like. Let's stand up and play like men, and I think our guy did that tonight." O'Neal responded, "Flopping is playing like that your whole career. I was trying to take the charge, trying to get a call. It probably was a flop, but flopping is the wrong use of words. Flopping would describe his coaching." Mark Madsen, a former Lakers teammate, found it amusing since "everyone in the league tries to flop on Shaq and Shaq never flops back." In a 2006 interview, O'Neal stated if he were NBA commissioner, he would "Make a guy have to beat a guy-not flop and get calls and be nice to the referees and kiss ass."
On March 6, O'Neal discussed an upcoming game against the Rockets and Yao Ming, saying, "It's not going to be man-on-man, so don't even try that. They're going to double and triple me like everybody else ... I rarely get to play [Yao] one-on-one ... But when I play him (on defense), it's just going to be me down there. So don't try to make it a Yao versus Shaq thing, when it's Shaq versus four other guys."
The 2009 NBA Playoffs marked the first time since O'Neal's rookie season in 1992-93 that he did not participate in the playoffs. He was named to the All-NBA Third Team. The Suns informed O'Neal that he might be traded to cut costs.
2.5. Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-2010)
On June 25, 2009, O'Neal was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, 500.00 K USD, and a 2010 second-round draft pick. Upon arriving in Cleveland, O'Neal declared, "My motto is very simple: Win a Ring for the King," referring to LeBron James. James was the team's leader, and O'Neal deferred to him. On February 25, 2010, O'Neal suffered a severe right thumb injury while attempting a shot against Glen Davis of the Boston Celtics. He underwent surgery on March 1 and returned to play in time for the first round of the playoffs.
After defeating the Chicago Bulls in the first round, the Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round. In September 2016, O'Neal stated, "When I was in Cleveland, we were in first place. Big Baby [Glen Davis] breaks my hand and I had to sit out five weeks late in the year. I come back finally in the first round of the playoffs, and we lost to Boston in the second round. I know for a fact if I was healthy, we would have gotten it done that year and won a ring." O'Neal averaged career lows in almost every major statistical category during the 2009-10 season, largely due to splitting center duties with Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
2.6. Boston Celtics (2010-2011)
Upon hearing Kobe Bryant comment that he had more rings than O'Neal, Wyc Grousbeck, principal owner of the Boston Celtics, saw an opportunity to acquire O'Neal. Celtics coach Doc Rivers agreed to the signing on the condition that O'Neal would not receive preferential treatment or cause locker room problems, as he had in Los Angeles or Miami. On August 4, 2010, the Celtics announced they had signed O'Neal for a two-year veteran minimum salary totaling 2.80 M USD. O'Neal had sought a larger mid-level exception contract, but the Celtics opted to give it to Jermaine O'Neal instead. The Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks also expressed interest but stalled on O'Neal's salary demands. He was introduced by the Celtics on August 10, 2010, and chose the number 36.
O'Neal publicly stated he did not "compete with little guys who run around dominating the ball, throwing up 30 shots a night-like D-Wade, Kobe." He added that he was only competing against Duncan: "If Tim Duncan gets five rings, then that gives some writer the chance to say 'Duncan is the best,' and I can't have that." Publicly, he insisted he did not care whether he started or substituted, but privately, he wanted to start. O'Neal missed games throughout the season due to various ailments to his right leg, including knee, calf, hip, and Achilles injuries. The Celtics traded center Kendrick Perkins in February partly due to the expectation that O'Neal would return to fill Perkins' role. The Celtics were 19-3 in games where O'Neal played over 20 minutes. After requesting a cortisone shot, O'Neal returned on April 3 after missing 27 games due to his Achilles, but he played only five minutes due to a strained right calf. This was his last regular season game that year. O'Neal missed the first round of the 2011 playoffs. He insisted on more cortisone shots and returned in the second round, but he was limited to 12 minutes in two games as the Heat eliminated the Celtics from the playoffs.
2.6.1. Retirement
On June 1, 2011, O'Neal announced his retirement via social media. In a short video on Twitter, O'Neal tweeted, "We did it. Nineteen years, baby. I want to thank you very much. That's why I'm telling you first. I'm about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon." On June 3, 2011, O'Neal held a press conference at his home in Orlando to officially announce his retirement.
3. National Team Career
Shaquille O'Neal represented the United States in international basketball competitions, achieving significant success including an Olympic gold medal and a FIBA World Championship MVP award.
3.1. Olympic and FIBA Accomplishments
While in college, O'Neal was considered for the Dream Team to fill the college spot, but it eventually went to future teammate Christian Laettner.
His national team career began in the 1994 FIBA World Championship, where he was named MVP of the Tournament. He led the Dream Team II to the gold medal with an 8-0 record, averaging 18 points and 8.5 rebounds and recording two double-doubles. In four games, he scored more than 20 points. Before 2010, he was the last active American player to have a gold medal from the FIBA World Cup.
O'Neal was one of two players (the other being Reggie Miller) from the 1994 roster to also be named to the Dream Team III. Due to the presence of more star players, he rotated with Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson and started 3 games. He averaged 9.3 points and 5.3 rebounds with 8 total blocks. The team achieved another perfect 8-0 record, earning him a second gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. O'Neal was reportedly upset that coach Lenny Wilkens played Robinson more minutes in the final game; Wilkens had explained to O'Neal that it would likely be Robinson's last Olympics.
After his 1996 Olympic experience, O'Neal declined to play in further international competitions. He was angered by being overlooked for the 1999 FIBA AmeriCup squad, calling it a "lack of respect." He also chose not to participate in the 2000 Olympics, explaining that two gold medals were sufficient. O'Neal also declined to play in the 2002 FIBA World Championship and rejected an offer to play in the 2004 Olympics. Although initially interested in the 2006-2008 US preliminary roster, he eventually declined that invitation as well.
4. Player Profile
Shaquille O'Neal was renowned for his exceptional physical attributes and dominant playing style in the low post, though he also had a notable weakness in free-throw shooting.
4.1. Physical Attributes and Dominance
O'Neal established himself as an overpowering low post presence, putting up career averages of 23.7 points on 58.2% field goal accuracy, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game.
At 7 in and 330 lb (330 lb), with a U.S. shoe size 23 (approximately 16 in (41 cm)), he became famous for his extraordinary physical stature. His immense frame gave him a significant power advantage over most opponents. On two occasions during his first NBA season, his powerful dunks broke the steel backboard supports, prompting the league to increase the brace strength and stability of backboards for the following 1993-94 season.
4.2. Playing Style and Skills
O'Neal's "drop step", which he called the "Black Tornado," involved posting up a defender, turning, and using his elbows for leverage to power past them for a high-percentage slam dunk. This proved to be an exceptionally effective offensive weapon. In addition, O'Neal frequently utilized a right-handed jump hook shot to score near the basket. His ability to dunk contributed to his career field goal accuracy of 58.2%, which is second only to Artis Gilmore as the highest field goal percentage of all time. He led the NBA in field goal percentage 10 times, breaking Wilt Chamberlain's record of nine.
Opposing teams often resorted to committing many fouls on O'Neal, which reduced the playing time of their own big men. O'Neal's imposing physical presence inside the paint caused dramatic changes in many teams' offensive and defensive strategies.
4.3. Weaknesses
O'Neal's primary weakness was his free throw shooting, with a career average of 52.7%. He once missed all 11 of his free throw attempts in a game against the Seattle SuperSonics on December 8, 2000, setting an NBA record. O'Neal believed his free throw struggles were a mental issue, as he often shot 80 percent in practice. In an attempt to exploit his poor foul shooting, opponents frequently committed intentional fouls against him, a tactic known as "Hack-a-Shaq". O'Neal ranks third all-time in free throws taken, having attempted 11,252 free throws in 1,207 games up to the 2010-11 season. On December 25, 2008, O'Neal missed his 5,000th free throw, becoming the second player in NBA history to do so, along with Chamberlain.
O'Neal only made one three-point shot during his entire career, which occurred during the 1995-96 NBA season with the Orlando Magic. His career three-point shooting record is 1 for 22 (a 4.5% career percentage).
4.4. Defensive Contributions
O'Neal was a capable defender, earning three selections to the All-NBA Second Defensive Team. His presence intimidated opposing players shooting near the basket, and he averaged 2.3 blocked shots per game over the course of his career.
5. Awards and Honors
Shaquille O'Neal's illustrious career is marked by a vast array of awards and honors spanning his time in the NBA, collegiate play, and international competition, culminating in multiple Hall of Fame inductions.
5.1. NBA Awards and Honors
- 4× NBA champion (2000-2002, 2006)
- 3× NBA Finals MVP (2000-2002)
- NBA Most Valuable Player (2000)
- 15× NBA All-Star (1993-1998, 2000-2007, 2009)
- 3× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2000, 2004, 2009)
- 8× All-NBA First Team (1998, 2000-2006)
- 2× All-NBA Second Team (1995, 1999)
- 4× All-NBA Third Team (1994, 1996, 1997, 2009)
- 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2000, 2001, 2003)
- NBA Rookie of the Year (1993)
- NBA All-Rookie First Team (1993)
- 2× NBA scoring champion (1995, 2000)
- NBA 50th Anniversary Team (1996)
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team (2021)
- Number 34 retired by the Los Angeles Lakers
- Number 32 retired by the Miami Heat
- Number 32 retired by the Orlando Magic
5.2. Collegiate and International Awards
- Associated Press Player of the Year (1991)
- UPI Player of the Year (1991)
- Adolph Rupp Trophy (1991)
- 2× Consensus first-team All-American (1991, 1992)
- NCAA rebounding leader (1991)
- NCAA blocks leader (1992)
- 2× SEC Male Athlete of the Year (1991, 1992)
- 2× SEC Player of the Year (1991, 1992)
- Number 33 retired by LSU Tigers
- FIBA World Championship MVP (1994)
- USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (1994)
- McDonald's All-American Game Co-MVP (1989)
- First-team Parade All-American (1989)
- Texas Mr. Basketball (1989)
- Olympic Gold Medal (1996 Atlanta)
- FIBA Basketball World Cup Gold Medal (1994 Toronto)
5.3. Hall of Fame Inductions
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2016)
- National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (2014)
- FIBA Hall of Fame (2017)
5.4. Other Honors
- 2005 BET Sportsman of the Year
- 2012 Sports Emmy Award - Outstanding Promotional Announcement
- 2022 Academy Award - Short Subject Documentary (as an executive producer of The Queen of Basketball)
- 2009 inductee of the New Jersey Hall of Fame
- 2012 honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans
6. Career Statistics
This section presents Shaquille O'Neal's detailed statistical records from his professional NBA career, including regular season and playoff performances, as well as his college career statistics.
6.1. NBA Statistics
6.1.1. Regular season
| Year | Team | Games played | Games started | Minutes per game | Field goal percentage | 3-point field-goal percentage | Free-throw percentage | Rebounds per game | Assists per game | Steals per game | Blocks per game | Points per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Orlando | 81 | 81 | 37.9 | .562 | .000 | .592 | 13.9 | 1.9 | .7 | 3.5 | 23.4 |
| 1993 | Orlando | 81 | 81 | 39.8 | .599 | .000 | .554 | 13.2 | 2.4 | .9 | 2.9 | 29.3 |
| 1994 | Orlando | 79 | 79 | 37.0 | .583 | .000 | .533 | 11.4 | 2.7 | .9 | 2.4 | 29.3 |
| 1995 | Orlando | 54 | 52 | 36.0 | .573 | .500 | .487 | 11.0 | 2.9 | .6 | 2.1 | 26.6 |
| 1996 | L.A. Lakers | 51 | 51 | 38.1 | .557 | .000 | .484 | 12.5 | 3.1 | .9 | 2.9 | 26.2 |
| 1997 | L.A. Lakers | 60 | 57 | 36.3 | .584 | .000 | .527 | 11.4 | 2.4 | .7 | 2.4 | 28.3 |
| 1998 | L.A. Lakers | 49 | 49 | 34.8 | .576 | .000 | .540 | 10.7 | 2.3 | .7 | 1.7 | 26.3 |
| 1999-2000 | L.A. Lakers | 79 | 79 | 40.0 | .574 | .000 | .524 | 13.6 | 3.8 | .5 | 3.0 | 29.7 |
| 2000-01 | L.A. Lakers | 74 | 74 | 39.5 | .572 | .000 | .513 | 12.7 | 3.7 | .6 | 2.8 | 28.7 |
| 2001-02 | L.A. Lakers | 67 | 66 | 36.1 | .579 | .000 | .555 | 10.7 | 3.0 | .6 | 2.0 | 27.2 |
| 2002-03 | L.A. Lakers | 67 | 66 | 37.8 | .574 | .000 | .622 | 11.1 | 3.1 | .6 | 2.4 | 27.5 |
| 2003-04 | L.A. Lakers | 67 | 67 | 36.8 | .584 | .000 | .490 | 11.5 | 2.9 | .5 | 2.5 | 21.5 |
| 2004-05 | Miami | 73 | 73 | 34.1 | .601 | .000 | .461 | 10.4 | 2.7 | .5 | 2.3 | 22.9 |
| 2005-06 | Miami | 59 | 58 | 30.6 | .600 | .000 | .469 | 9.2 | 1.9 | .4 | 1.8 | 20.0 |
| 2006-07 | Miami | 40 | 39 | 28.4 | .591 | .000 | .422 | 7.4 | 2.0 | .2 | 1.4 | 17.3 |
| 2007-08 | Miami | 33 | 33 | 28.6 | .581 | .000 | .494 | 7.8 | 1.4 | .6 | 1.6 | 14.2 |
| 2007-08 | Phoenix | 28 | 28 | 28.7 | .611 | .000 | .513 | 10.6 | 1.7 | .5 | 1.2 | 12.9 |
| 2008-09 | Phoenix | 75 | 75 | 30.0 | .609 | .000 | .595 | 8.4 | 1.7 | .6 | 1.4 | 17.8 |
| 2009-10 | Cleveland | 53 | 53 | 23.4 | .566 | .000 | .496 | 6.7 | 1.5 | .3 | 1.2 | 12.0 |
| 2010-11 | Boston | 37 | 36 | 20.3 | .667 | .000 | .557 | 4.8 | .7 | .4 | 1.1 | 9.2 |
| Career | 1,207 | 1,197 | 34.7 | .582 | .045 | .527 | 10.9 | 2.5 | .6 | 2.3 | 23.7 | |
| All-Star | 12 | 9 | 22.8 | .551 | .000 | .452 | 8.1 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 16.8 | |
6.1.2. Playoffs
| Year | Team | Games played | Games started | Minutes per game | Field goal percentage | 3-point field-goal percentage | Free-throw percentage | Rebounds per game | Assists per game | Steals per game | Blocks per game | Points per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Orlando | 3 | 3 | 42.0 | .511 | .000 | .471 | 13.3 | 2.3 | .7 | 3.0 | 20.7 |
| 1995 | Orlando | 21 | 21 | 38.3 | .577 | .000 | .571 | 11.9 | 3.3 | .9 | 1.9 | 25.7 |
| 1996 | Orlando | 12 | 12 | 38.3 | .606 | .000 | .393 | 10.0 | 4.6 | .8 | 1.3 | 25.8 |
| 1997 | L.A. Lakers | 9 | 9 | 36.2 | .514 | .000 | .610 | 10.6 | 3.2 | .6 | 1.9 | 26.9 |
| 1998 | L.A. Lakers | 13 | 13 | 38.5 | .612 | .000 | .503 | 10.2 | 2.9 | .5 | 2.6 | 30.5 |
| 1999 | L.A. Lakers | 8 | 8 | 39.4 | .510 | .000 | .466 | 11.6 | 2.3 | .9 | 2.9 | 26.6 |
| 2000 | L.A. Lakers | 23 | 23 | 43.5 | .566 | .000 | .456 | 15.4 | 3.1 | .6 | 2.4 | 30.7 |
| 2001 | L.A. Lakers | 16 | 16 | 42.3 | .555 | .000 | .525 | 15.4 | 3.2 | .4 | 2.4 | 30.4 |
| 2002 | L.A. Lakers | 19 | 19 | 40.8 | .529 | .000 | .649 | 12.6 | 2.8 | .5 | 2.5 | 28.5 |
| 2003 | L.A. Lakers | 12 | 12 | 40.1 | .535 | .000 | .621 | 14.8 | 3.7 | .6 | 2.8 | 27.0 |
| 2004 | L.A. Lakers | 22 | 22 | 41.7 | .593 | .000 | .429 | 13.2 | 2.5 | .3 | 2.8 | 21.5 |
| 2005 | Miami | 13 | 13 | 33.2 | .558 | .000 | .472 | 7.8 | 1.9 | .4 | 1.5 | 19.4 |
| 2006 | Miami | 23 | 23 | 33.0 | .612 | .000 | .374 | 9.8 | 1.7 | .5 | 1.5 | 18.4 |
| 2007 | Miami | 4 | 4 | 30.3 | .559 | .000 | .333 | 8.5 | 1.3 | .3 | 1.5 | 18.8 |
| 2008 | Phoenix | 5 | 5 | 30.0 | .440 | .000 | .500 | 9.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 15.2 |
| 2010 | Cleveland | 11 | 11 | 22.1 | .516 | .000 | .660 | 5.5 | 1.4 | .2 | 1.2 | 11.5 |
| 2011 | Boston | 2 | 0 | 6.0 | .500 | .000 | .000 | .0 | .5 | .5 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Career | 216 | 214 | 37.5 | .563 | .000 | .504 | 11.6 | 2.7 | .5 | 2.1 | 24.3 | |
6.2. College Statistics
| Year | Team | Games played | Games started | Minutes per game | Field goal percentage | 3-point field-goal percentage | Free-throw percentage | Rebounds per game | Assists per game | Steals per game | Blocks per game | Points per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-90 | Louisiana State | 32 | - | 28.2 | .573 | .000 | .556 | 12.0 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 3.6 | 13.9 |
| 1990-91 | Louisiana State | 28 | - | 31.5 | .628 | .000 | .638 | 14.7 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 5.0 | 27.6 |
| 1991-92 | Louisiana State | 30 | - | 32.0 | .615 | .000 | .528 | 14.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 5.2 | 24.1 |
| Career | 90 | - | 30.5 | .610 | .000 | .575 | 13.5 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 4.6 | 21.6 | |
7. Off the Court
Beyond his celebrated basketball career, Shaquille O'Neal has cultivated a diverse range of activities, establishing himself as a prominent media personality, musician, actor, and shrewd businessman, while also engaging in philanthropy and law enforcement.
7.1. Media Personality and Public Image
O'Neal adopted various self-proclaimed nicknames, including "The Big Aristotle" and "Hobo Master," reflecting his composure and insights during interviews. Journalists and fans also gave him numerous monikers such as "Shaq," "The Diesel," "Shaq Fu", "The Big Daddy," "Superman", "The Big Agave", "The Big Cactus", "The Big Shaqtus", "The Big Galactus", "Wilt Chamberneezy", "The Big Baryshnikov", "The Real Deal," "The Big Shamrock", "The Big Leprechaun", "Shaqovic," and "The Big Conductor." Despite being a favorite interviewee, O'Neal could be sensitive and often went weeks without speaking to the press. When he wished to avoid interviews, he would murmur in his low-pitched voice while sitting in front of his cubicle.
During the 2000 Screen Actors Guild strike, O'Neal performed in a commercial for Disney, resulting in a fine from the union for crossing the picket line.
O'Neal's humorous and sometimes inflammatory comments fueled the Los Angeles Lakers' long-standing rivalry with the Sacramento Kings; he frequently referred to the Sacramento team as the "Queens." During the 2002 victory parade, O'Neal declared that Sacramento would never be the capital of California after the Lakers defeated the Kings in a tough seven-game series en route to their third championship.
He also received media criticism for mocking Chinese people when interviewed about newcomer center Yao Ming. O'Neal told a reporter, "you tell Yao Ming, ching chong yang, wah, ah so." O'Neal later stated it was locker room humor and he meant no offense. Yao believed O'Neal was joking but noted that many Asians would not find the humor, adding, "Chinese is hard to learn. I had trouble with it when I was little." O'Neal later expressed regret for his early treatment of Yao.
During the 2005 NBA playoffs, O'Neal compared his poor play to Erick Dampier, a Dallas Mavericks center who had failed to score a single point in a recent game. This quip was widely cited by announcers, though Dampier offered little response. The two later met in the 2006 NBA Finals.
O'Neal was very vocal with the media, often making jabs at Laker teammate Kobe Bryant. In the summer of 2005, when asked about Bryant, he responded, "I'm sorry, who?" and continued to pretend he did not know who Bryant was until well into the 2005-06 season. He also appeared on television on Saturday Night Live and in 2007 hosted Shaq's Big Challenge, a reality show on ABC where he challenged Florida kids to lose weight.
When the Lakers faced the Heat on January 16, 2006, O'Neal and Bryant made headlines by engaging in handshakes and hugs before the game, an event widely seen as the end of their feud. O'Neal stated he accepted the advice of NBA legend Bill Russell to make peace with Bryant. However, on June 22, 2008, O'Neal freestyled a diss rap about Bryant in a New York club. While rapping, O'Neal blamed Bryant for his divorce from his wife Shaunie and claimed to have received a vasectomy as part of a rhyme. He also taunted Bryant for not being able to win a championship without him, leading the audience to mockingly chant "Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes." O'Neal justified his act by saying it was "freestyling. That's all. It was all done in fun. Nothing serious whatsoever. That is what MCs do. They freestyle when called upon. I'm totally cool with Kobe. No issue at all." Although other hip hop artists like Snoop Dogg, Nas, and Cory Gunz agreed with O'Neal, Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio expressed his intention to relieve O'Neal of his Maricopa County sheriff posse badge due to "use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language," referencing the line "it's like a white boy trying to be more nigga than me."
7.2. Music Career
Beginning in 1993, O'Neal ventured into rap music. He is primarily known for his work in hip hop music and electronic dance music. His music career spans from 1993 to 2001 and resumed in 2017. He has released five studio albums and one compilation album. While his rapping abilities were initially criticized, one critic noted his "progressing as a rapper in small steps, not leaps and bounds." His 1993 debut album, Shaq Diesel, received platinum certification from the RIAA. He has released music under labels such as Jive, Interscope, A&M, Trauma, and Monstercat. He has collaborated with artists including Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz, DJ Kayslay, Nghtmre, and Lil Jon.
O'Neal was featured alongside Michael Jackson as a guest rapper on "2 Bad" from Jackson's 1995 album HIStory. He contributed three tracks, including "We Genie," to the Kazaam soundtrack. O'Neal was also featured in Aaron Carter's 2001 hit single "That's How I Beat Shaq" and appeared in its music video.
Shaquille O'Neal conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra at the Boston Symphony Hall on December 20, 2010.
O'Neal also began DJing in the 1980s while at LSU. He produces electronic dance music and tours the world under the stage name DJ Diesel (stylized in all caps).
In July 2017, O'Neal released a diss track aimed at LaVar Ball, the father of NBA point guard Lonzo Ball. The three-minute song was a response to Ball's claim that he and his younger son LaMelo would beat O'Neal and his son Shareef in a game of basketball.
On October 23, 2021, O'Neal performed as DJ Diesel on the bassPOD stage at the 2021 Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, Nevada. On June 7, 2023, O'Neal released his first single as DJ Diesel from his debut album Gorilla Warfare, titled "Bang Your Head" in collaboration with Hairitage. The album was released on August 18. He contributed a verse to Redman's track "Lite It Up" from the Muddy Waters Too album, released December 24, 2024.
7.3. Acting and Television Appearances
O'Neal has appeared in numerous films, starting with Blue Chips and Kazaam, which were generally panned by critics. He is one of the first African Americans to portray a major comic book superhero in a motion picture, starring as John Henry Irons in the 1997 film Steel.
O'Neal has made many television appearances. He appeared as himself on an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, bedridden after Larry David's character accidentally tripped him, and in two episodes each of My Wife and Kids and The Parkers. He had cameo roles in Freddy Got Fingered, Jack and Jill, and Scary Movie 4. O'Neal appeared in the 311 music video for "You Wouldn't Believe" (2001), P. Diddy's video for "Bad Boy for Life", Aaron Carter's "That's How I Beat Shaq", Owl City's "Vanilla Twilight", and Maroon 5's "Don't Wanna Know". He also had a small "interviewing" scene in the movie CB4. O'Neal appeared in a SportsCenter commercial dressed in his Miami police uniform, rescuing Mike the Tiger from a tree. He reportedly wanted a role in X2 (2003), the second X-Men film, but was ignored by the filmmakers. O'Neal appeared as Officer Fluzoo in the comedy sequel Grown Ups 2.
He voiced animated versions of himself in Static Shock (2002; episode "Static Shaq"), Johnny Bravo (1997; episode "Back on Shaq"), Uncle Grandpa (2014; episode "Perfect Kid"), and The Lego Movie (2014). He also had a voice role as Smooth Smurf in the 2013 film The Smurfs 2.
O'Neal and his mother, Lucille Harrison, were featured in the documentary film Apple Pie, which aired on ESPN. O'Neal had a 2005 reality series on ESPN, Shaquille, and hosted a series called Shaq's Big Challenge on ABC. He also participated in the 2002 Discovery Channel special Motorcycle Mania 2, requesting an exceptionally large bike from custom motorcycle builder Jesse James. Additionally, O'Neal appeared in the first Idol Gives Back in 2007, on an episode of Fear Factor, and on an episode of MTV's Jackass, where he was lifted off the ground on Wee Man's back. O'Neal was pranked on the MTV show Punk'd when a crew member accused him of stealing his parking space, leading to an altercation before Ashton Kutcher revealed the prank.
O'Neal starred in a reality show called Shaq Vs., which premiered on August 18, 2009, on ABC. The show featured O'Neal competing against other athletes at their own sports. On July 14, 2011, O'Neal announced he would join Turner Network Television (TNT) as an analyst for its NBA basketball games, joining Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley on Inside the NBA. He hosted the show Upload with Shaquille O'Neal, which aired on TruTV for one season.
In September 2015, while promoting sportswear giant Reebok in South Korea, O'Neal joined the cast of the South Korean variety television show Off to School, where he attended Seo Incheon High School. The show features various celebrities attending a selected high school as students for three days. The producer, Kim No-eun, stated they prepared a special uniform for O'Neal and even a "big match" between him and Choo Seong Hoon.
In October 2022, O'Neal signed a long-term contract extension with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports to continue as a host on Inside the NBA. On May 3, 2024, O'Neal was announced as a co-host (along with Gina Rodriguez) of the upcoming ABC game show Lucky 13, which premiered on July 18, 2024.
7.4. Video Game Appearances
O'Neal has been featured prominently in the world of video games. He appeared on the covers of NBA Live 96, NBA 2K6, NBA 2K7, NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC, NBA Hoopz, and NBA Inside Drive 2004. He was also featured in the arcade versions of NBA Jam (1993) and NBA Jam (2003), as well as NBA Ballers (2004), NBA Live 2004, and NBA Ballers: Phenom (2006) both as a current player and a 1990s All-Star.
O'Neal starred in Shaq Fu, a fighting game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis. A sequel, Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn, was released in 2018. O'Neal also appeared as a voice actor in Quest for the Code (2002), in Backyard Basketball (2004), as a playable boxer in Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2, and as an unlockable character in Delta Force: Black Hawk Down. He was also an unlockable character in UFC Undisputed 2010.
7.5. Business Ventures and Investments
As of 2022, O'Neal is among the five wealthiest NBA players, with a net worth of 400.00 M USD. He was an active bond investor in the early 1990s and later invested in various companies such as General Electric, Apple, and PepsiCo. He found success in stock investing by connecting personally with the companies. O'Neal notably refused to endorse Wheaties cereal because he preferred Frosted Flakes.
He has also been an active real estate entrepreneur. O'Neal explored real estate development projects aimed at assisting Orlando homeowners facing foreclosure. His plan involved buying the mortgages of foreclosed homes and selling them back to the original owners under more affordable terms, making a small profit while helping homeowners. In conjunction with Boraie Development, O'Neal has developed projects in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey, including CityPlex12 and One Riverview.
O'Neal served on the advisory board for Tout Industries, a social video service, in return for breaking news of his NBA retirement on their platform. In September 2013, O'Neal became a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings professional basketball team. In April 2018, he was named the general manager of Kings Guard Gaming, the Kings' NBA 2K League affiliate. In January 2022, O'Neal sold his stake in the Kings.
O'Neal was an early investor in Google. In June 2015, he invested in Loyale3 Holdings Inc., a San Francisco brokerage firm enabling small investors to buy into IPOs and regularly purchase small amounts of shares in public companies. He is also an investor for the esports team NRG Esports and has appeared in television commercials promoting the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive league ELeague.
O'Neal favors franchising businesses due to their simplicity and proven success. In late 2016, he purchased the Krispy Kreme location at 295 Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta and became the global spokesperson for the company. He previously owned (and later sold) 155 Five Guys fast food restaurants, approximately 10% of all locations, and owns 17 Auntie Anne's restaurants. O'Neal also owns 150 car washes, 40 health clubs, a movie theater in Newark, and the Big Chicken brand of chicken sandwiches.
In 2018, O'Neal partnered with Medium Rare to create Shaq's Fun House, an annual combination music festival, circus, and carnival featuring celebrity DJs and performers. In early 2019, O'Neal joined the Papa John's board of directors and invested in nine stores in the Atlanta area, also becoming the company's spokesperson as part of a three-year contract. The next year, Papa John's introduced the Shaq-a-Roni, a pizza dedicated to O'Neal.
In 2021, O'Neal was a paid spokesperson for FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange. In November 2022, FTX filed for bankruptcy, wiping out billions in customer funds and O'Neal's personal stake. He, along with other spokespeople, has been sued for promoting unregistered securities. In February 2022, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a lawsuit against Bitconnect that the Securities Act of 1933 extends to targeted solicitation using social media.
In Long Beach in 2022, Shaqtoberfest, O'Neal's Halloween event, premiered. In October 2023, O'Neal was named Reebok's President of Basketball.
7.6. Philanthropy and Community Involvement
O'Neal has engaged in various philanthropic and community initiatives. In June 2005, following the death of Hall of Fame center George Mikan, whom O'Neal considered a major influence, O'Neal offered to pay all of Mikan's funeral expenses, which the family accepted.
O'Neal is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He became a Freemason in 2011, joining Widow's Son Lodge No. 28 in Boston as a Prince Hall Freemason.
7.7. Law Enforcement Involvement
O'Neal has maintained a high level of interest and personal involvement in law enforcement. He completed the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Reserve Academy and became a reserve officer with the Los Angeles Port Police.
On March 2, 2005, O'Neal was given an honorary U.S. Deputy Marshal title and named the spokesman for the Safe Surfin' Foundation, serving an honorary role on the task force that tracks down sexual predators targeting children online. Upon his trade to Miami, O'Neal began training to become a Miami Beach reserve officer. He was sworn in on December 8, 2005, accepting a 1 USD-per-year salary. Shortly thereafter, in Miami, O'Neal witnessed a hate crime and called Miami-Dade police, describing the suspect and helping police track the offender via his cell phone. O'Neal's actions led to the arrest of two suspects on charges of aggravated battery, assault, and a hate crime.
In September 2006, O'Neal participated in a raid on a home in rural Bedford County, Virginia, after being made an "honorary deputy" by the local sheriff's department. However, he was not qualified as a SWAT officer. In June 2008, the Bedford County and Maricopa County, Arizona, sheriff departments revoked O'Neal's special deputyship after a video surfaced of him rapping about Kobe Bryant and using racial slurs.
On January 20, 2015, O'Neal was sworn in as a reserve officer for Doral, Florida's police force. In December 2016, O'Neal was sworn in as a sheriff's deputy in Jonesboro, Georgia, as part of the Clayton County, Georgia Sheriff's Department, holding the county record for Tallest Sheriff's Deputy.
7.8. Professional Wrestling and MMA Appearances
A lifelong professional wrestling fan, O'Neal has made numerous appearances at televised events for various promotions. His favorite wrestlers include Tony Atlas, Junkyard Dog, André the Giant, and Brock Lesnar.
In 1994, O'Neal made several appearances in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), including at the Bash at the Beach pay-per-view, where he presented the title belt to the winner of the WCW World Heavyweight Championship match between Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. In July 2009, O'Neal served as the guest host for a live broadcast of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)'s Monday Night Raw. As part of the show, O'Neal engaged in a physical altercation with the seven-foot-tall wrestler Big Show. In September 2012, O'Neal made a guest appearance on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)'s Impact Wrestling program, where he had a backstage segment with Hulk Hogan.
In April 2016, O'Neal participated in his first-ever match as a surprise celebrity entry in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32. O'Neal eliminated Damien Sandow and had another confrontation with Big Show before being eliminated by most of the other wrestlers. In July at the 2016 ESPY Awards, Big Show and O'Neal had another brief confrontation on the red carpet. A match was proposed for WrestleMania 33, which O'Neal accepted. In January 2017, the two began calling each other out on social media, posting workout videos. However, the match was eventually canceled, reportedly due to monetary reasons as both parties could not agree on a deal, or due to scheduling issues on O'Neal's part.
On the November 11, 2020, episode of AEW Dynamite, Jade Cargill interrupted Cody Rhodes and teased O'Neal's arrival in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He made a cameo appearance on Being The Elite, and it was confirmed that O'Neal had been appearing backstage at recent AEW tapings. He appeared on the December 9 episode of AEW Dynamite and addressed AEW in a sit-down interview with Tony Schiavone and Brandi Rhodes. At the end of the interview, O'Neal had water thrown on him by Brandi after he told her to get pointers from Cargill, who had broken Brandi's arm weeks prior. On the March 3, 2021, episode of AEW Dynamite titled The Crossroads, O'Neal teamed with Jade Cargill to defeat Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet. During the match, O'Neal paid tribute to Brodie Lee with his signature gesture and powerbomb and was driven through two tables by Cody, who hit O'Neal with a flying crossbody tackle as O'Neal was standing on the ring apron.
O'Neal began training in mixed martial arts (MMA) in 2000. At Jonathan Burke's Gracie Gym, he trained in boxing, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and wrestling, using the nickname Diesel. O'Neal challenged kickboxer and mixed martial artist Choi Hong-man to an MMA bout in a YouTube video posted on June 17, 2009. Choi replied, "Yes, if there is a chance," but when asked if O'Neal had a chance of winning, he simply said, "No." On August 28, 2010, at UFC 118, O'Neal reiterated his desire to fight Choi. In 2023, Chael Sonnen revealed he once attempted to arrange a grappling match between O'Neal and multiple-time UFC world champion Georges St-Pierre.
7.9. Advertising
O'Neal frequently appears in television commercials. He has appeared in several Pepsi commercials, including a 1995 advertisement that parodied shows like I Love Lucy, Bonanza, and Woody Woodpecker. He has also appeared in commercials for companies such as Reebok, Nestlé Crunch, Gold Bond, Buick, The General, Papa John's, Hulu, Epson, Carnival Cruises, Frosted Flakes, American Express, Vitamin Water, and IcyHot, among others.
8. Personal Life
Shaquille O'Neal's personal life includes his family, academic pursuits, and various interests outside of basketball, reflecting his diverse background and continuous self-development.
8.1. Family and Relationships
O'Neal was raised by a Baptist mother and a Muslim stepfather and has stated that they taught him both religions. While some sources have identified O'Neal as a Muslim, he has also said, "I'm Muslim, I'm Jewish, I'm Buddhist, I'm everybody 'cause I'm a people person." His full name, Shaquille Rashaun, is from Arabic and means "little warrior."
O'Neal married Shaunie Nelson on December 26, 2002. The couple had four children, including Shareef. Nelson also has a son and daughter from previous relationships. On September 4, 2007, O'Neal filed for divorce from Nelson. Nelson later stated they were back together and the petition was withdrawn. However, on November 10, 2009, Nelson filed an intent to divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce was finalized in 2011. O'Neal has publicly blamed himself for the failed marriage, admitting he made mistakes and was "greedy."
In 2015, his son Shareef was noted as a 6 in freshman power forward in high school basketball, described as having a "polar opposite playing style to his father" due to his more athletic build and better shooting range. Shareef played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins before transferring to LSU. In November 2023, O'Neal's daughter, Me'Arah, signed her national letter of intent to the Florida Gators, beginning her freshman year at Florida in the 2024-25 season.
8.2. Education and Academic Achievements
O'Neal left LSU for the NBA after three years, but he promised his mother he would return to his studies and complete his bachelor's degree. He fulfilled that promise in 2000, earning his B.A. degree in general studies from LSU, with a minor in political science. Coach Phil Jackson allowed O'Neal to miss a home game so he could attend graduation. At the ceremony, he told the crowd, "now I can go and get a real job."
Subsequently, O'Neal earned an online MBA degree through the University of Phoenix in 2005. Regarding his MBA, he stated, "It's just something to have on my resume for when I go back into reality. Someday I might have to put down a basketball and have a regular 9-to-5 like everybody else."
Toward the end of his playing career, O'Neal began work on an educational doctorate at Barry University. His doctoral capstone topic was "The Duality of Humor and Aggression in Leadership Styles." O'Neal received his Ed.D. degree in Human Resource Development from Barry in 2012. He told a reporter for ABC News that he planned to further his education by attending law school.
In 2009, O'Neal attended the Sportscaster U. training camp at S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Additionally, he studied directing and cinematography with the New York Film Academy's Filmmaking Conservatory.
8.3. Post-marriage relationships
In summer 2010, O'Neal began dating reality TV star Nicole "Hoopz" Alexander. The couple resided at O'Neal's home in Sudbury, Massachusetts, but later split in August 2012. O'Neal began dating Laticia Rolle, a model from Gardner, Massachusetts, in early 2014. They later split in March 2018.
8.4. Outside of basketball
O'Neal is a fan of the National Hockey League's New Jersey Devils, who play in his hometown of Newark, and has been seen at several games. On January 11, 2014, O'Neal performed the ceremonial first puck and drove a Zamboni for a game between the Devils and the Florida Panthers. O'Neal is also a fan of English football club Northampton Town, and has posted videos of support to their official YouTube page. He is also a fan of the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, stating that football was his first sport and he wanted to be like his idol, Ed "Too Tall" Jones.
In 2016, O'Neal purchased a 14.3-acre, two-house compound in McDonough, Georgia for 1.15 M USD, located about 30 mile southeast of Atlanta.
O'Neal endorsed Republican New Jersey governor Chris Christie in his 2013 reelection bid, appearing in a television advertisement. He participated in a virtual rally for then-presidential candidate Joe Biden and voted for the first time during the 2020 presidential election.
O'Neal once turned down a 40.00 M USD deal with Reebok after hearing a mother complain about how expensive his shoes were. In July 2023, O'Neal purchased his first private jet, a 27.00 M USD Bombardier Challenger 650, complete with his iconic "Dunkman" logo on the tail.
O'Neal has mentored Chicago Sky player and former LSU Tigers women's basketball player Angel Reese, who has identified O'Neal as a father figure. Reese is a subject of The Money Game: LSU on Prime Video, which is produced by O'Neal's Jersey Legends Productions.
9. Legacy and Impact
Shaquille O'Neal's legacy is defined by his unparalleled dominance on the court, his significant cultural footprint, and his continued influence in various endeavors post-retirement.
9.1. Overall Influence and Legacy
Phil Jackson believed O'Neal underachieved in his career, stating he "could and should have been the MVP player for 10 consecutive seasons." In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary, The Athletic ranked O'Neal as the eighth greatest player in NBA history.
The Lakers retired his No. 34 jersey on April 2, 2013. On February 26, 2016, the Miami Heat announced they would retire O'Neal's No. 32 jersey during the 2016-17 season, making him one of only 32 athletes in American professional sports history to have their jersey retired by multiple teams. The Heat officially retired his jersey on December 22, 2016, during halftime of a game against his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers. On February 13, 2024, the Orlando Magic retired O'Neal's No. 32 jersey, making him the first player in their franchise history to receive this honor. He became the third player to have his number retired by three NBA teams, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Pete Maravich.
O'Neal's impact on the game is also evident in various records. He is one of only two players (along with Wilt Chamberlain) to win the field goal percentage title nine times or for five consecutive years. He is the only player in NBA history to record 13 consecutive seasons averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, surpassing Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Hakeem Olajuwon, who each had 12 such seasons. He is also the only player in playoff history with career totals of over 4,700 points, 2,200 rebounds, 500 assists, 400 blocks, and 100 steals while maintaining a field goal percentage above 55%. O'Neal is one of four players to be selected to 14 consecutive All-Star Games, alongside Jerry West, Karl Malone, and Kobe Bryant. He is one of only five players to win three Finals MVP awards, and one of only two (with Michael Jordan) to win them in three consecutive seasons.
9.2. Criticisms and Controversies
Despite his achievements, O'Neal faced criticisms and controversies throughout his career. His "ching chong" mocking of Yao Ming drew significant media backlash. His public jabs at teammates, particularly Kobe Bryant, and his diss rap about Bryant in 2008, created public feuds. His comparison of his own poor play to Erick Dampier also garnered attention.
O'Neal's free throw shooting was a consistent weakness, leading to the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy. He holds the record for missing all 11 of his free throw attempts in a game. His weight was also a recurring issue, often appearing at training camps overweight, which contributed to injuries, particularly to his right big toe. Some critics also felt that his celebrity status sometimes led officials to overlook certain rule violations, such as his free throw routine.
9.3. Post-Retirement Activities
Following his retirement from playing, O'Neal transitioned into a successful career as a sports analyst for TNT's Inside the NBA, where he works alongside Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith. He has also expanded his business empire, becoming a prominent investor and entrepreneur with ventures in various industries, including food franchises, real estate, technology, and entertainment. His continued presence in media and business has solidified his status as a cultural icon beyond basketball.