Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, born on March 6, 1972, and widely known as "Shaq", is a former professional basketball player, actor, and rapper. Since January 2012, he has served as a sports analyst on TNT’s Inside the NBA, joining Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith on the panel.
Regarded as one of the greatest players and most dominant centers in NBA history, O'Neal stood an imposing 7 feet 1 inch (2.16 m) tall and weighed 325 pounds (147 kg), making him one of the heaviest players to ever compete in the league. Over the course of his illustrious 19-year career, he played for six different teams.
Biography
After a standout college career at Louisiana State University, Shaquille O’Neal was selected as the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. He made an immediate impact, earning NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 1992–93 and leading the Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals.
In 1996, O’Neal signed with the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent. During his time in L.A., he formed a dominant duo with Kobe Bryant and helped the franchise win three consecutive NBA championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002, defeating the Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, and New Jersey Nets, respectively. O’Neal was named Finals MVP in all three series.
However, growing tensions with Bryant led to O'Neal being traded to the Miami Heat in 2004. He captured his fourth and final NBA title in 2006, with Dwyane Wade leading the way and earning Finals MVP.
Midway through the 2007–08 season, O’Neal was traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he spent a season and a half. He then joined the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2009–10 season in a trade involving Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, a second-round pick, and cash.
In the 2010–11 season, O’Neal signed a two-year deal with the Boston Celtics, becoming the 26th player to have played for both the Lakers and Celtics, the NBA’s two most storied franchises. He retired after that season, concluding a legendary 19-year career.
Shaquille O’Neal’s legacy in basketball is cemented by an incredible list of individual achievements. His accolades include the 1999–2000 NBA MVP, 1992–93 Rookie of the Year, 15 NBA All-Star selections, three All-Star Game MVPs, three Finals MVPs, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA Team honors, and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections.
O’Neal is one of only three players in NBA history—alongside Willis Reed (1970) and Michael Jordan (1996, 1998)—to win the NBA MVP, All-Star Game MVP, and Finals MVP in the same year, a feat he accomplished in 2000. Along with Jordan, he’s also one of only two players to be named Finals MVP in three consecutive seasons. He remains the only player in league history to score 30 or more points in every game of multiple NBA Finals.
Statistically, O’Neal ranks among the NBA’s all-time elite:
8th in career points scored
6th in field goals made
15th in total rebounds
8th in blocks
3rd in career field goal percentage (58.2%), largely due to his dominance in the paint and powerful dunking ability.
In recognition of his career, O’Neal was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016, alongside Allen Iverson, Sheryl Swoopes, Tom Izzo, John McLendon, and Darell Garretson. He was later inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017, joining fellow legend Toni Kukoč.
Beyond Basketball
O’Neal has also made a significant impact off the court. He released four rap albums, with his debut, Shaq Diesel, going platinum. He has established himself as an electronic music producer and touring DJ, performing under the name DIESEL.
His presence in entertainment includes roles in films, and starring in reality shows like Shaq's Big Challenge and Shaq Vs. He also hosts the popular The Big Podcast with Shaq.
In the gaming world, he became the first general manager of Kings Guard Gaming, the NBA 2K League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. O'Neal has appeared on the cover of several video games, including:
NBA Live 96
NBA 2K6 and NBA 2K7
NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC
NBA Hoopz
NBA Inside Drive 2004
NBA 2K18 Legend Edition
Since NBA 2K15, he has also appeared as a virtual studio analyst in the NBA 2K series, bringing his trademark humor and insight into the digital realm of basketball.
Shaquille O’Neal Stats
Shaquille O'Neal enjoyed a legendary 19-season NBA career, playing for six teams, most notably the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic. Across 1,207 regular-season games, he averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game, showcasing his dominance on both ends of the court.
O’Neal was a 15-time NBA All-Star and earned numerous honors, including:
1992–93 Rookie of the Year
1999–2000 NBA Most Valuable Player
3× NBA Finals MVP
4× NBA Champion
In 2016, his extraordinary contributions to the sport were recognized with his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Facts
Shaquille O'Neal nickname
Shaquille O'Neal nickname is given to him by his fans. He is widely known as Big Shamrock, Dr. Shaq, Diesel, Hobo Master, L.C.L, MDE, Manny Shaq-Iaou, MayorMcShaq, Osama Bin Shaq, Shaq, Shaq Daddy, Shaq Fu, Superman, The Big Banana, The Big Banana, The Big Galactus, The Real Deal, The Big Twitterer, Witness Protection.
Shaquille O'Neal tattoo
In the case of Shaquille O'Neal's tattoo, you might know that he has had 11 tattoos on his body. He tattooed AGAINST THE LAW on his right shoulder. He said: "My game’s so good, there has to be a law to stop it." Below it, the legend inked the superman logo, which represents his nickname, and below it, he has a tattoo of The World Is Mine. Shaq tattooed the word BIG on the inside of his right forearm. He has a ring with the letters DOG inside it on his right forearm, and Shaq also has a tattoo of a patch with three names tattooed inside it on the legend's left wrist. On the inside of his left forearm, there is a tattoo of a huge target sign. Shaq inked an angel on his left forearm. There is the word DIESEL on his left shoulder and his left upper arm, O'Neal has another Superman logo with the words, MAN OF STEEL around it. The Big Banana inked the words Diesel Doc, which was surrounded by a design of flames on his chest.
Awards And Accomplishments
Named by the NBA as one of the league's 50 greatest players of all time.
1990 - Sets a collegiate conference record of 115 blocked shots
1990-91 - Named national Player of the Year in media polls
1991 - Wins the Adolph Rupp Trophy and the John Wooden Award as college basketball player of the year
1992- Picked first in the first round overall of the National Basketball Association draft
1993 - Named National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year; named to National Basketball Association All-Rookie First Team
1993-98 - Named to National Basketball Association All-Star
1996 - Won a gold medal with the US Olympic Basketball Team; selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association history; included as one of only four athletes among the 100 most powerful people in sports, Sporting News (December 30, 1996).
1999 - Named Most Valuable Player for the league.
2000 - Named most valuable player for the league; named most valuable player for the finals; named most valuable player for the All-Star game; jersey Number 33 retired by Louisiana State University athletic department.
2001 - Named most valuable player for the league finals
2002 - Named most valuable player for the league finals.
