Shaquille O’Neal, arguably the most dominant player in the history of Basketball, is officially a Hall-of-Famer.
O’Neal was enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame last night by legendary players Julius Erving, Isiah Thomas, Bill Russell, and Alonzo Mourning. His speech encapsulated what we were privileged enough to witness during his career, a hilarious, light-hearted but purely dominant human being.
He talked about his idols, shared funny stories, and discussed past players and teams that made up his historic career.
Shaquille O’Neal shook the Basketball universe the moment he stepped onto the NBA hardwood, averaging 23.4 points and 13.9 rebounds during his rookie season as a 20-year-old.
Now as a 44-year-old, O’Neal looks back on a 19-year career that includes 15 All-Star selections, 4 NBA titles, and a Most Valuable Player Award.
What fans will remember most about SHAQ, yes, his dominance on the hardwood and his 7’1″, 320 pound stature. But also, the countless amount of hilarious moments he gave, both on the court and off:
SHAQ scored 28,596 points, grabbed 13,099 rebounds, and blocked 2,732 shots during his career. He made stops with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics before retiring in 2011.
The Big Aristotle will forever be known as one of the game’s most dominant players.