Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most recognizable faces in the NBA since the 2000s, and had the success to go with the notoriety.
One of the stars of the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal won four NBA titles, in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2006.
But his career was not a one-way ticket to success after he was drafted in 1992 by the Orlando Magic. And his signing with the Lakers in 1996 did not reap instant rewards either.
O’Neal’s individual accolades and success ended up counting for nothing, with the Lakers falling short in the play-offs, before embarking on a successful three-year run.
Shaquille O’Neal has explained that a conversation with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar changed his focus and drove his success.
He said that a seven word question from Abdul-Jabbar gave him a much-needed jolt in his career.
O’Neal explained to the Rich Eisen Show: “‘How do I want to be remembered?’ – You know who said that to me, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said that, and it really woke me up.
“I was like damn. And me with the respect that I had, he does have six [rings], and he is remembered as one of the greatest of all-time, I think that’s what I want.”
He also accepted that criticism he was hearing from Abdul-Jabbar resonated, and that deep down he knew it to be right.
“They were saying Shaq’s a dominant big man and he’s doing all these numbers, and Kareem said ‘yeah and he get swept every year in the playoffs and he doesn’t win a championship’.
“Not only did that hurt, it was the truth. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a million per cent right, yeah Shaq you are putting up big numbers but you know… I really had to turn it up.”
Shaquille O’Neal is now often seen as an outspoken television analyst on Inside The NBA, and has clashed with players in the past.
He explained that he would be happy for Joel Embiid to ‘get mad’ after his criticism this week, and ‘play mad’.
O’Neal also praised Donovan Mitchell’s performances this season on the Cleveland Cavaliers, a player he has called out on multiple times in the past. He says he can ‘say nothing’ after Mitchell’s form to start the 2024-25 season.
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