[47] O'Neal averaged 26.2 points and 12.5 rebounds in his first season with Los Angeles; however, he again missed over 30 games due to injury. Before 2010, he was the last active American player to have a gold from the FIBA World Cup. Shaunie later said that the couple was back together and that the divorce was withdrawn. Listed at 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall[1] and weighing 325 pounds (147 kg), he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA, where he played for six teams . Prompted by his ardent interest in basketball, O'Neal joined his school's basketball team. You're in luck. [268] In late 2016, he purchased the Krispy Kreme location at 295 Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta. [170], O'Neal was very vocal with the media, often making jabs at former Laker teammate Kobe Bryant. While he led the Dream Team II to the gold medal with an 80 record, O'Neal averaged 18 points and 8.5 rebounds and recorded two double-doubles. They include some great names like The Big Aristotle and some less-great names like Witness Protection. I don't wanna be known as Commentator Shaq. Shaquille O' Neal, also known by his nickname Shaq, is a former American basketball player, as well as a former rapper. MDE suffers from the same problems as a nickname as the last entry on this list: L.C.L. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. The Inside the NBA crew enjoy joking about each other and players in the NBA, which has been a catalyst for many moments of entertaining television over the years. [66] At the end of the season, the Lakers had fallen to the fifth seed and failed to reach the Finals in 2003. Midway through the 20072008 season he was traded to the Phoenix Suns. After playing college basketball for the LSU Tigers, O'Neal was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft. Shaquille O'Neal, the 7 ft 1 (216 cm) basketball professional, is an NBA champion four times in his 19 years of career and game-centers or five all of Shaq's career. Mikhail Baryshnikov is one of the most noted dancers in the history of ballet. [57], In January 2002, he was involved in a spectacular on-court brawl in a game against the Chicago Bulls. Shaquille O'Neal Basketball, Pennies, Steps 51 Copy quote Man, I don't wanna do what all the other guys do. In this case the variable, like Aristotle, is near-perfect. After Shaq's retirement, Shaq and Charles Barkley became co-workers in the NBA Hall of fame as analysts. Now, both The Stilt and The Diesel have their jerseys hanging in the rafters at Staples Center. [201] O'Neal's actions resulted in the arrest of two suspects on charges of aggravated battery, assault, and a hate crime. They were later joined by Shaquille ONeal, who lost to Olajuwon in the NBA Finals as a young player. Please scroll down for his favorite superhero nickname. Shaquille O'Neal was not the only person on the receiving end of Charles Barkley's comments, as Barkley also recently took the opportunity to take shots at some New Orleans Pelicans teammates. O'Neal missed the first 12 games of the 200203 season recovering from toe surgery. [84] The Heat went on a winning streak that kept them in the race for a playoff spot, which they finally secured against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 5. On March 2, 2005, O'Neal was given an honorary U.S. Deputy Marshal title and named the spokesman for the Safe Surfin' Foundation; he served an honorary role on the task force of the same name, which tracks down sexual predators who target children on the Internet. Osama Bin Laden was no joke. However, on November 10, 2009, Shaunie filed an intent to divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. degree in general studies from LSU,[187] with a minor in political science. Football has surprisingly few great nicknames, particularly for QBs. But, seriously, enough with the Big X. I am now going to ignore the fact that half these nicknames are The Big X. Here are some examples of short and simple nicknames for Shaq: Now that youve selected a few nicknames for Shaq ideas, its time to gather some feedback. He ranks 8th all-time in points scored, 6th in field goals, 15th in rebounds, and 8th in blocks. Grade: PSA 8. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. I didn't even play on a team. At the ceremony, he told the crowd "now I can go and get a real job". Dont forget to include your parents, siblings, teachers, and friends. He joined the Phoenix Suns team in 2007-2009 and got a co-MVP award along with his ex-colleague Kobe Bryant from Los Angeles Lakers team. They sought the free-agent services of two aging starsforward Karl Malone and guard Gary Paytonbut due to salary cap restrictions, could not offer either player nearly as much money as he could have made with some other teams. O'Neal also narrowly lost the 200405 MVP Award to Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash in one of the closest votes in NBA history. 11. Oof. The Big Aristotle -- Shaq became the greatest philosopher of our time after winning the 2000 MVP award. During the game, O'Neal flopped against Howard. Advertisement Let's explore Shaq's best monikers: 12. What he did off the court for NBA players was show them how to think outside of the low blocks. Check your inbox for your latest news from us. Shaq Daddy -- The Hall of Famer is one of the biggest personalities in the business. Upon O'Neal's return, Van Gundy resigned, citing family reasons, and Pat Riley assumed head coach responsibilities. Later, during his short stent with Boston, he used "The Big Shamrock." My favorite during his time in Phoenix, however, was "Shaqtus". He credited the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Newark with giving him a safe place to play and keeping him off the streets. 1. I would swap them, but I cant figure this one out. Shaq Fu -- Shaq Fu was a Super Nintendo System video game that was released in 1995. Thousands of randomly generated ideas - funny, weird, creative, fancy, badass and more! "[189], Toward the end of his playing career, he began work on an educational doctorate at Barry University. And others use them to express their feelings more easily. Wilt Chamberneazy was the next one up aboard the Shaq Nickname Express. [64] The Lakers started the season with a record of 1119. If youre too young, you may not know of Mayor McCheese. 9. Pete Maravich, in case you dont know, is the highest scorer in college basketball history. On February 26, 2016, the Miami Heat announced that it would retire O'Neal's No. It's probably the only one ever displayed in a game by an NBA center. He led his team to a 681 record over two years and helped the team win the state championship during his senior year. We succeeded in casting him after a lot of effort. The different language nicknames. But it's cool", said O'Neal. #AEWonTNT", ". Shaq considers it his favorite nickname and even had it printed on his baseball cap. He fulfilled that promise in 2000, earning his B.A. The follow up, 1994's Shaq Fu: The Return, went gold. I dont think I want a nickname based on him, even with a funny story behind it. Manny Shaq-iaou is a testament to the importance of reading things out loud. However, it was the first season in O'Neal's career that his scoring average dropped below 20points per game. O'Neal's humorous and sometimes incendiary comments fueled the Los Angeles Lakers' long-standing rivalry with the Sacramento Kings; O'Neal frequently referred to the Sacramento team as the "Queens". He assumed a $1-per-year salary in this capacity. The LSU grad had a hugely successful career on the floor. Now that Shaq is with the Cavaliers, here are a few nicknames that could be possible for Shaq to either be dubbed with or dub himself with soon: The Remake on the Lake The Cleveland Steamer. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? In August 2005, O'Neal signed a 5-year-extension with the Heat for $100million. Shaquille is corporate, nice-looking, soft-spoken, wears suits, and is very cordial to people, whereas Shaq is the dominant athlete who is the two-time champion. [280], O'Neal favors franchising businesses because of their simplicity and proven success. O'Neal became a free agent after the 199596 NBA season. KB8 13. At the same time, I cant minimize terrorism and dont want to joke too much about such a sensitive subject. [182] Currently, he produces electronic music and tours the world under the stage name, DIESEL and managed by Medium Rare.[183]. But Evander Real Deal Holyfield had it first! 4. If so, watch this: Now that you know, it makes sense, doesnt it? What, another one? The Lakers made the playoffs, but were eliminated in the second round by the Utah Jazz in five games. It probably was a flop, but flopping is the wrong use of words. There's not a bigger man in NBA history to have expouse wonderful thoughts about you than Mr. Russell. [329], O'Neal is a fan of the National Hockey League's New Jersey Devils, who play in his hometown of Newark, and has been seen at several games over the years. O'Neal established himself as an overpowering low post presence, putting up career averages of 23.7 points on .582 field goal accuracy, 10.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. In 2021, the litigation ended with a court ruling that O'Neal was entitled to $412,914.50 in legal fees. Shaq is well-versed in his basketball fundamentals and has taken a lot of famous nicknames. [188] Coach Phil Jackson let O'Neal miss a home game so he could attend graduation. O'Neal left LSU early to pursue his NBA career, but continued his education even after becoming a professional player. Miami advanced to face New Jersey, who won a surprising game 1 victory before the Heat won four straight to assure a rematch with Detroit. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. In this case, it refers to a person who uses a certain name. Halloween Special", 2 Episodes as guest, Guest Host October 30, 2017, 2012 Outstanding Promotional Announcement, 2022 Short Subject Documentary (as an executive producer of, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 05:45. But we are coming to the end of this list. "[100] In a 2006 interview in TIME, O'Neal said if he were NBA commissioner, he would "Make a guy have to beat a guynot flop and get calls and be nice to the referees and kiss ass. O'Neal was not qualified as a SWAT officer. [315][316] The couple resided at O'Neal's home in Sudbury, Massachusetts,[317] and later split in August 2012. "[109] O'Neal averaged career lows in almost every major statistical category during the 200910 season, taking on a much less significant role than in previous years. Shaq blames himself for the failed marriage and says he made mistakes and was "greedy. Regardless of the reason, nicknames are extremely useful. The Big Cactus -- The Big Shaqtus: The largest walking succulent in recorded history. "[303], O'Neal married Shaunie Nelson on December 26, 2002. If it played on the Big Cactus and the Big Shaqtus, at least it rhymed. Shaq gave his story of how "The Truth" came to be in a featured post the NBPA promoted as Pierce's career winds down. "I'm really too old to be trying to outscore 18-year-olds", O'Neal said, referring to the then 23-year-old Howard. He was calling himself a great shooter and comparing himself to European players like Peja Stojakovic. [296][297] O'Neal issued a public apology, stating that he and Binion had spoken and that he's "made a friend today". But luckily for you, weve collected a massive list of catchy, funny, and original nicknames for Shaq for you to choose from. [43][44] O'Neal insisted he did not choose Los Angeles for the money; discussing the signing he referred to a couple of his product endorsements, saying: "I'm tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. [57], Using Jackson's triangle offense, O'Neal and Bryant enjoyed tremendous success, leading the Lakers to three consecutive titles (2000, 2001, and 2002). This one comes from Shaq saying he has two sides: Shaquille is corporate, nice-looking, soft-spoken, wears suits, and is very cordial to people, whereas Shaq is the dominant athlete who is the two-time champion. The Cobra 15. He nicknamed Tim Duncan, The Big Fundamental for his sound fundamentals. He has a Superman tattoo on his arm, a Superman logo on several of his cars, a logo etched onto a leather jacket, and he can often be seen . Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, and the Inside the NBA crew are known for making jokes about themselves and current players, and Barkley just gained a new joke nickname. [239] O'Neal challenged kickboxer and mixed martial artist Choi Hong-man to a mixed martial arts rules bout in a YouTube video posted on June 17, 2009. Shaquille O'Neal 5,250. Why did he gain that nickname? So don't try to make it a Yao versus Shaq thing, when it's Shaq versus four other guys. "I'd just go there to shoot. What's the difference? Big Fella Alas, the Cavs lost to the Boston Celtics in the 2nd round of the playoffs and Shaq moved to Boston himself the next year. [104] Upon arriving in Cleveland, O'Neal said, "My motto is very simple: Win a Ring for the King", referring to LeBron James. He had first met Tigers coach Dale Brown years earlier in Europe when O'Neal's stepfather was stationed on a U.S. Army base at Wildflecken, West Germany. But that does not make sense to me. He was bigger than basketballalmost biggerthanlifea three-time world champion anda man of many nicknames. [36][37] 82% answered "no". After being named NBA MVP in 2000, ONeal decided to celebrate by unveiling his latest nickname. A sequel, Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn, was released in 2018. [36] O'Neal compared his lack of privacy in Orlando to "feeling like a big fish in a dried-up pond". ", "Daily Dime: Shaq gets the spotlight, while Kobe gets the game", "Riley bothered by Shaq's criticism of Heat players, staff", "Magic's Van Gundy calls out Shaq for flopping", "Cavaliers Acquire 15-Time NBA All-Star and Four-Time NBA Champion Shaquille ONeal", Cleveland Cavaliers' Shaquille O'Neal leaves game with 'significant thumb injury, "Shaquille O'Neal: Cavaliers should have won title in 2010", "Grousbeck's faith goes right down to the core", "A large addition to Celtics' sizeable history", "Celtics Creak Toward Postseason, Hoping They Have Legs for a Run", "Shaq says he's 85 percent; out another week", "Amare Stoudemire back as Celts' reserves top Knicks' second string", "Shaq announces NBA retirement on Twitter, using Tout iPhone app [Updated]", "Shaq moving on to the next chapterretirement", O'Neal, Bryant Still Possible for Olympics, Colangelo says Shaq not ruling out Olympics, Full Summer Gives U.s. Players More Than A Workout, "New This Year In Nba: Shaq-proof Backboards", "Career Leaders and Records for Field Goal Pct", "Phoenix Suns vs. San Antonio Spurs Recap April 29, 2008", "Career Leaders and Records for Free Throw Attempts ", "Mason's 3-pointer gives Spurs 9190 win over Suns", "5 Things Dwight Howard Does Better Than Shaquille O'Neal Ever Did With The LA Lakers", "Shaquille O'Neal's retirement brings reflections on his legacy with the Lakers", "Lakers retire Shaquille O'Neal's jersey", "Shaq and 31 more athletes with numbers retired by multiple teams", "Shaq Now Among Small Group Of Athletes Whose Numbers Have Been Retired By Multiple Teams", "Inside the NBA SI's Jack McCallum: Sizing up Shaq", "Shaquille O'Neal was not always the most dominating, but always the most fun", "Sports of The Times; Fans in Shanghai Are Voting in the Mainstream", "Tall tale? Throughout his playing career, he picked up (and gave himself) more nicknames than anybody other than maybe pro wrestlers and Sean Combs. Checkout the latest stats for Shaquille Leonard. [57] He opted against a more involved surgery to return quicker. [184][185][186], O'Neal left LSU for the NBA after three years. Oh, he does it big on the stage. Love you. I had trouble with it when I was little. Nineteen years, baby. [60] For the season, O'Neal averaged 27.2 points and 10.7 rebounds, excellent statistics but below his career average; he was less of a defensive force during the season. I hate this nickname. I want to thank you very much. He claimed one of the main reasons for wanting to be traded to Miami was because of their up-and-coming star Dwyane Wade, to whom he gave the nickname "Flash". This nickname refers to the fact that Shaq got a doctorate degree in education from Barry University in 2012. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents. Shaq wrapped up his 19-year career in the NBA in 2011 and took up a new gig as an on-air analyst for Turner Network Television (TNT)'s NBA broadcasts the same year. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. You wont get confused by people with someone else having the same nickname. This nickname has been used so universally for so long that some people actually don't know that "Shaq" is short for his given name of Shaquille, which is Arabic for "Little Warrior." 2. 1, Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020, List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders, List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career minutes played leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff blocks leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff free throw scoring leaders, List of individual National Basketball Association scoring leaders by season, List of National Basketball Association players with most points in a game, List of National Basketball Association single-game blocks leaders, List of National Basketball Association seasons played leaders, List of National Basketball Association top rookie scoring averages, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career blocks leaders, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leaders, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season rebounding leaders, List of NCAA Division I basketball career triple-doubles leaders, "CBS Sports' 50 greatest NBA players of all time: Where do LeBron, Curry rank? According to him, football was actually his first sport and he wants to be like his idol, Ed "Too Tall" Jones. Charles Barkley has been the recipient of many nicknames during his career as a basketball player and an analyst, such as Sir Charles, Chuck, and the Round Mound of Rebound. [247], In April 2016, O'Neal participated in his first-ever match, when he was a surprise celebrity entry in the Andr the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32. [166] Yao joked, "Chinese is hard to learn. In addition, O'Neal frequently used a right-handed jump hook shot to score near the basket. Shaq initially followed the path that so many others do when he attended Louisiana State University. He did go back and finish his degree as an NBA player, so he is not some fool. Which is your favorite of the possible Cleveland Shaq nicknames? His plans involved buying the mortgages of those who had fallen into foreclosure and then selling the homes back to them under more affordable terms. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson were named the NBA's Players of the Month, the league announced ( via Twitter ). [296] In 2016, Binion withdrew the lawsuit after coming to a settlement agreement with O'Neal. [10] O'Neal again missed games due to injuries, and the Heat had a 15game losing streak. He has a Superman logo tattoo on his arm and many of his cars also have Superman emblems on them. Linsanity was a moment, not a nickname. What is Shaq Lawson's Twitter account? We have seen in a lot of places that short and simple nicknames are liked by people a lot. [73] Long-time Laker point guard Nick Van Exel was traded to the Denver Nuggets; his former backcourt partner Eddie Jones was packaged with back-up center Elden Campbell for Glen Rice to satisfy a demand by O'Neal for a shooter. Shaq and his Nicknames "I want to be known as 'The Big Shakespeare.' It was Shakespeare that said, 'Some men are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them.'" "All this heaviness does not mean that I'm a monk. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, creative tips and more. O'Neal was also an unlockable character in UFC Undisputed 2010. Shaq earned many cool names after winning ample awards in his basketball career. [241], A lifelong professional wrestling fan, O'Neal has made numerous appearances at televised events over the years for four different promotions.