Shaquille O'Neal

Fun Fact: Shaq has expressed an interest in becoming involved in law enforcement after he retires from the NBA.

Claim to Fame: O'Neal helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to 3 NBA Championships from 2000-2002 and the Miami Heat to one title in 2006

Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, nicknamed "Shaq", is an American professional basketball player, rapper, and actor. He is widely perceived as one of the most dominant players in the history of the NBA. Standing at 7 feet 1 inch, 325 pounds, he is one of the largest players to ever play in the NBA. Throughout his 17 year career, O'Neal has used his size and strength to overpower opponents for points and rebounds.

Following a standout career at Louisiana State University, O'Neal was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. He quickly became one of the top centers in the league, winning Rookie of the year in 1992-1993 and later leading his team to the 1995 NBA Finals. After 4 years with the Magic, O'Neal signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers. He won three consecutive championships, playing along side Kobe Bryant, in 2000, 2001, and 2002. However O'Neal's relationship with Bryant eventually went downhill, leading to his trade to the Miami Heat in 2004. He won his fourth NBA championship in 2006, but was traded midway through the season just a year later to the Phoenix Suns. After a season-and-a-half with the Suns, O'Neal was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he will play along side LeBron James in the 2009-10 season.

O'Neal's individual accolades include 1 MVP award, the 1992?93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, 3 All-Star game MVPs, 3 Finals MVPs, 2 Scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections, and 3 NBA All-Defensive Team selections. He currently ranks 5th all-time in points scored, 6th in field goals, 15th in rebounds, and 7th in blocks.

In addition to his basketball career, O'Neal has released 4 rap albums, his first Shaq Diesel, going platinum. He has also appeared in numerous films and has starred in his own reality shows, Shaq's Big Challenge and Shaq Vs.


O'Neal first gained national attention as a star at Linton Middle School. He led his Robert G. Cole High School team, San Antonio, Texas, to a 68?1 record during his two years there and helped the team win the state title his senior year. His 791 rebounds during the 1989 season remain a state record for any one player in any classification.

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