Shaquille O’Neal, a former center for the Los Angeles Lakers, was honored with his own statue outside of Staples Center tonight before the Lakers game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Shaq played eight seasons with the Lakers, where he helped lead the team to three NBA Championships. The big man was an All-Star for all but one season in his time with the team, the only season he didn’t make it being a year where he only played in 49 games. He was on an All-NBA team in every season, and he made All-Defensive NBA for three seasons. He also won MVP for the 1999-2000 season.
Notable names in attendance were Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Slava Medvedenko, Derek Fisher, Horace Grant, Rick Fox, Devean George, Brian Cook, and Phil Jackson.
Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal were teammates for all of Shaq’s career in LA, and Kobe was the other part of the duo that helped lead the team to three straight titles. Their off-court issues are well known, but Bryant gave a short speech about his former teammate.
Phil Jackson was the head coach for Shaquille O’Neal for all three championships and was the coach for the last five years of his time in Los Angeles.
It’s been a good year for Shaq, as his jersey was retired by the Miami Heat in December of 2016, and he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in September of 2016.
Kobe Bryant keeps it short and sweet as he praises the dominance of @Shaq #LakeShow #TheBigStatue pic.twitter.com/AyCI94Yr07
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) March 24, 2017
Kareem Abdul Jabbar delivers a great tribute to @Shaq #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/LINFRp3tCd
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) March 24, 2017
Magic Johnson talks about Shaq and what he brought to the #Lakers pic.twitter.com/0lQByBOAMi
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) March 24, 2017
Jerry West delivers a wonderful speech about @Shaq#LakeShow #TheBigStatue pic.twitter.com/BlypaxGnTR
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) March 24, 2017
Phil Jackson delivers a speech about his former big man, @Shaq #TheBigStatue pic.twitter.com/pGNDAfDH0j
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) March 24, 2017
#TheBigStatue is revealed
Congrats, @SHAQ!#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/kHPQEgwnbw
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) March 25, 2017
