Shaquille O'Neal
Four-time NBA champion and Hall of Fame center known as 'Shaq'.
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal was born on March 6, 1972, in Newark, New Jersey. His biological father, Joe Toney, was a talented high school basketball player who struggled with drug addiction and was imprisoned when O'Neal was an infant; he later relinquished his parental rights. O'Neal was raised primarily by his mother, Lucille, and his Jamaican stepfather, Phillip Arthur Harrison, a career Army sergeant. O'Neal remained estranged from Toney for decades, expressing disdain in a 1994 rap song, though the two eventually met in 2016 after Harrison’s death. Growing up as an "army brat," O'Neal moved frequently—from New Jersey to Georgia, Germany, and finally to San Antonio, Texas. By age 13 he was already 6 feet 8 inches tall, and he credited the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Newark for providing a safe place to play basketball. At Robert G. Cole High School in San Antonio, he led his team to a 68–1 record over two seasons and a state championship in his senior year; his 791 rebounds in the 1989 season remain a state record. After playing college basketball for the LSU Tigers, O'Neal was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic in the 1992 NBA draft. He won Rookie of the Year and led the Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals. He then signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning three consecutive championships (2000–2002) and the 2000 MVP award. Following a feud with teammate Kobe Bryant, he was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004, winning a fourth title in 2006. He later played for the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics before retiring. O'Neal earned 15 All-Star selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, two scoring titles, and 14 All-NBA team honors. He ranks among the top ten all-time in points and blocks, and led the league in field goal percentage ten times. He was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team in 1996 and the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. Off the court, he released four rap albums, including the platinum-selling *Shaq Diesel*, and works as a sports analyst on *Inside the NBA*.
- born
- March 6, 1972, in Newark, New Jersey
- height
- 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
- weight
- 325 lb (147 kg)
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Four-time NBA champion, three-time NBA Finals MVP, 2000 NBA MVP, 15-time All-Star
Lore & Background
After playing college basketball for the LSU Tigers, O'Neal was selected by the Orlando Magic with the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft. He quickly became one of the best centers in the league, winning NBA Rookie of the Year in 1992–93 and leading his team to the 1995 NBA Finals. After four years with the Magic, O'Neal signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers. They won three consecutive championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Amid a feud between O'Neal and his teammate Kobe Bryant, O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004, and his fourth NBA championship followed in 2006. Midway through the 2007–2008 season he was traded to the Phoenix Suns. After a season-and-a-half with the Suns, O'Neal was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2009–10 season. O'Neal played for the Boston Celtics in the 2010–11 season before retiring.
Reader's Guide
O'Neal's individual accolades include the 1999–2000 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award; the 1992–93 NBA Rookie of the Year award; 15 All-Star Game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards; three Finals MVP awards; two scoring titles; 14 All-NBA team selections, and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections. He is one of only three players to win NBA MVP, All-Star Game MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same year (2000); the other players are Willis Reed in 1970 and Michael Jordan in 1996 and 1998. He ranks 9th all-time in points scored, 6th in field goals, 15th in rebounds, and 8th in blocks. O'Neal was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team in 1996. Due to his ability to dunk the basketball and score from close range, O'Neal also had a 58.2% career field goal percentage and led the league in field goal percentage ten times. O'Neal was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. He was elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017. In October 2021, O'Neal was again honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Did You Know?
- O'Neal was a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings from 2013 to 2022.
- He is the general manager of Kings Guard Gaming of the NBA 2K League.
- He is also the general manager of the Sacramento State Hornets men's basketball team.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"And if the big dog ain't me, then the house won't get guarded—period." — Shaquille O'Neal "Wise, Mike (January 11, 2001). "PRO BASKETBALL; Tension Between O'Neal and Bryant Is Rising Every Day". The New York Times." — Shaquille O'Neal "O'Neal implying his level of defensive play would drop if he were not the team's featured option on offense." — Shaquille O'Neal "I got hurt on company time, so I’ll heal on company time." — Shaquille O'Neal
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