Jimmy Kimmel surprises Shaq with his new statue from the #Lakers. pic.twitter.com/Z0vmhUuPiZ
— rob (@R0BaTO) January 28, 2016
Shaquille O’Neal visited Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday night and was given a great shock. In an apparent surprise, Kimmel unveiled the Lakers’ plans of building the legendary center a statue outside of STAPLES Center.
Shaq, who played for the Lakers from 1996 to 2004, is in a long line of all-time greats who have played for the Purple and Gold. O’Neal has long been known as one of the most dominant players in NBA history and being glorified outside of STAPLES Center with a statue showcasing one of his many rim-rattling dunks is indicative of that.
With the new statue, Shaq will join a list of Lakers’ greats including Jerry West, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who have also been showcased outside of the arena. While Shaq did not have the cleanest of exits with the Lakers, it is only right for him to be immortalized next to the other franchise changers who have played for the Lakers. A visibly surprised and ecstatic Shaq put the cherry on top of the celebration of his career.
Immediately after the show, Lakers president and co-owner Jeanie Buss released the following statement:
We look forward to having Shaq join the other legends who have been honored with statues at STAPLES Center. He is a giant not only in size, but also in stature and in what he accomplished as a Laker. Shaq literally broke the ground for the site, and was hugely responsible for not only getting STAPLES Center built, but for making it one of the most successful and famous arenas in the world. It’s an honor that is well deserved.
An exact date has not yet been set for the unveiling of the statue, although the Lakers have announced it will occur during the 2016-17 season. Shaq has already had his #32 jersey retired by the team, so this will be the second honor for him as a former member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
