#ThrowbackThursday: Legacy Of Shaquille O’Neal and His Impact On The NBA

Photo courtesy of www.nbaat90s.com.

Shaquille O’Neal was drafted by the Orlando Magic with first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. O’Neal was a standout player at Louisiana State University (LSU). He was two-time SEC Player of the Year, two-time first-team All-American and the 1992 College National Player of the Year. O’Neal went on to average 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game as a rookie and was named the 1993 NBA Rookie of the Year. Shaq was also selected to start in the 1993 NBA All-Star Game, becoming first rookie since Michael Jordan to start as a rookie. Shaq also released his debut rap album Shaq Diesel in 1993, the album went platinum.

Shaq increased his scoring average and went on to average 29.3 points, 13.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game in his second season. He and rookie Penny Hardaway help the Magic make the team first playoff appearance in team history. He and Penny also appeared in the movie “Blue Chips” with Nick Nolte in 1995. In his third season, he averaged 29.3 points a game for two seasons in a row, this time he led the NBA in scoring. The Magic went on to win their first playoff series and made it to the NBA Finals to face the Houston Rockets. Shaq averaged 28 points, 12.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the Finals; it wasn’t enough as the Magic were swept 4-0 by the Rockets.

In his fourth season with the Magic, Shaq only appeared in 54 games and still averaged 26.6 points, 11 rebounds and 2.1 blocks a game. The Magic made it to the Eastern Conference Finals where they were swept by the Chicago Bulls who went on win three championships in a row. After that season Shaq became a free agent and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. Shaq won a Olympic Gold medal with the United States Olympic basketball team in the 1996 Olympics.

Photo courtesy of www.espn.com.

O’Neal first season with the Lakers he averaged 26.2 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game in 51 games. The Lakers did make the playoffs but were eliminated in the second round. Shaq endured playoff struggles with the Lakers and seemed to have more playoff success with the Magic. That all changed in the 1999-2000 season when the Lakers hired former Bulls head coach Phil Jackson. Jackson had won six championships with the Bulls and was known for his triangle offense. Shaq won his first regular season Most Valuable Player Award and was All-Star Game Co-MVP.

The Lakers went on to win three consecutive NBA championships in a row in Jackson first three years a coach from 2000-02. O’Neal was the NBA Finals MVP for all three of the championships, the only player in history to do so besides Michael Jordan. In those three championships, the Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets. Shaq and All-Star teammate Kobe Bryant was the best duo in the league at this time and became of the best duos in NBA history. The Lakers reached the NBA Finals again in 2004 where they were defeated by the Detroit Pistons 4-1, the Lakers were a better team but failed to play as a team against the Pistons.

After the disappointing Finals loss, the Lakers traded Shaq to the Miami Heat. Shaq averaged 22.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a game in his first season with the Heat. The Heat made the playoffs and were eliminated by the Pistons in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Shaq was eliminated by the Pistons for two seasons in a row and he did go on to make the All-NBA first team in his first season with the Heat.

Photo courtesy of www.behindthebasket.com.

In his second season with Miami, the Heat returned to the playoffs. They defeated the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games and went on to defeat the Dallas Mavericks in six games to win their first title in franchise history. O’Neal never played in the NBA Finals again after winning his fourth NBA title with the Heat. O’Neal was traded again in 2008 to the Phoenix Suns and he was selected to his final All-Star Game in 2009.

O’Neal won co-MVP of the 2009 All-Star Game with ex-teammate Kobe Bryant. He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009 and after playing for them for one season, he signed with the Boston Celtics in 2010 as a free-agent. Shaq retired in June 2011 after battling injuries the last few seasons and after playing an impressive 19 years in the league. Shaq was a 15 time All-Star, made 8 All-NBA First teams, 3 time NBA Finals MVP, 3 time All-Star Game MVP and won two gold medals with the Dream Teams. O’Neal is currently an analyst on TNT, he also appears on NBA TV.

Photo courtesy of www.sportsillustrated.com.

Shaq definitely was a force in his prime and, his dominance along with his size, was the reason for some of the rule changes in the NBA. Teams actually came up with the Hack-a-Shaq concept, where they would foul him before he gets the ball to send him to the free-throw line. He was a career 52.7% free-throw shooter, he was mostly clutch when it came to making the important ones. If Shaq could have shot at least 70% from the free-throw line, Shaq could have improved his scoring by at least 5 points a game.

Shaq, in my opinion, is one of the top 10 players to ever play in the NBA and the most dominant center of his era. Shaq is one of the greatest centers in NBA history with the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell. Shaq was chosen as one of the 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association history back in 1996 and in April 2013 The Lakers retired his Number 34 jersey. If only he and Kobe could have gotten along better, he most likely would have 6 rings and possibly more.