When I talk to "old-timers" and they talk to me about how dominate Kareem was or Wilt or Russell, I normally shake my head in agreement, because as great and dominate as they were, (I am a firm believer in numbers telling no lies) one thing is for certain....I never saw them play. Play live at least, as a huge Lakers fan I've seen plenty of video footage of all three mentioned earlier, which as dominate as they were, fair or unfair it does detract from seeing on video vs. seeing live as its happening.
I always felt the way those "old-timers" feel about Kareem or Wilt or Russell about Shaq, to me Shaq was the most dominate, most explosive, most threatening big man I've ever seen, and I like to think I've come from a pretty good age of Center's in the NBA, Hakeem, Ewing, Robinson, Duncan, etc, but to me Shaq was always heads and shoulders above the rest.
His size was always intimidating, he stood 7'1 over 300 pounds, but that was only half the story, he had the skill of a 6'7 power forward, the ability to drive the lane, to pivot unlike any big man I'd seen at his size, and most impressively, his post-up game was as good, if not better than anyone thats ever played this game. In my mind, only Charles Barkley posted-up as well as Shaq.
Shaq won 4 titles during his time in the NBA, a very impressive feat, 3 of those titles coming with the Lakers, the other coming with Dwyane Wade and the Heat, the year he was traded to the Heat, Shaq won 3 NBA Finals MVPs and one Regular Season MVP, and as ESPN's Skip Bayless said recently, from 2000-2003 (during LA's three-peat) there wasn't a more dominate Big-Man in the NBA.
As great as Shaq was on the court, he was just as good, maybe better off the court. Always quick to crack wise and have fun with the media, Shaq set the stage for the modern day athlete, believe it or not there was a time when there was a line between Sports and Entertainment, Shaq helped blur that line creating two Platinum Rap albums, starring in several films, some critically acclaimed, like "Blue Chips" others, not so much like "Kazzam". His blurring of those lines helped pave the way for guys like Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco, and the like who became just as well known for their off the field shenanigans as they have for what they do during game time.
In many ways my feelings toward Shaq have been mixed throughout the past couple of years, after all this was the guy that thought he was better than Kobe Bryant, which to Lakers fans is almost like the Beatles saying they were bigger than Jesus. Kobe bleeds purple and gold, Shaq merely played for the team. Shaq was the guy that often did everything in his power to besmirch the Lakers franchise year after year, joining with whatever team he thought could knock off the Lakers that particular season, the Suns, the Cavs, the Celtics, he bounced around from team after team hoping to give a black eye to the Lakers.
Finally Father Time caught up with Shaq, unable to do suit up, let alone be the dominate player he once was had to have been a struggle for him this past season. As a kid and a Lakers fan I still remember one of the happiest days of my life was the day Shaq signed his (at the time) record setting 100 Million Dollar Deal. His time in LA would turn out to be exactly what the Lakers needed after a decade of malaise and Elden Campbell. Shaq and Kobe would form the BEST 1-2 Punch the NBA has Ever seen, and lead the Lakers to a 3-Peat.
For all that Shaq has done in the past couple of years to give the Lakers franchise a black-eye, during his retirement ceremony he said that he "Wanted to remembered as a Laker...and... go to the Hall of Fame as a Laker". For all Lakers fans who have had a sour taste in their mouths over the past couple of years when Shaq's name was mentioned, this went a long way to repairing those feelings.
So I bid a farewell to Shaquille O' Neal one of the most charismatic, exciting, and entertaining players the world has ever seen ...Next Stop, Hall of Fame.
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