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Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif
A three-time NBA champion and one-time regular-season MVP with the Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal is one of the greatest players to ever don the purple and gold. And yet, the Hall of Famer hesitated for a long time before signing with the Lakers in 1996.
Establishing a place among the best centers of the 90s and even becoming the undisputed king of the position at the beginning of the 21st century is a feat not anyone can pull off. Shaquille O’Neal, however, wasted no time establishing himself as a prime candidate upon his arrival in the NBA in 1992, immediately starting to deliver breathtaking performances in the Magic jersey.
But it was by signing with the Lakers in 1996 that Big Diesel became a basketball powerhouse and the most physically dominant player in history, along with Wilt Chamberlain. This also translated into some serious results, as Shaq achieved the last three-peat to date with the Californian franchise, while being voted Finals MVP each time. Truly unstoppable.
Shaquille O’Neal’s doubts before signing with the Lakers
Seduced by the great Jerry West, who had done everything possible to lure him to Los Angeles, Shaq is today one of the greatest players in the history of the Purple and Gold. However, it was far from a sure thing, as he admitted in an interview a few years ago, having expressed reservations about joining such a legendary franchise:
At first, I thought about, ‘Did I make the right move?’ As a youngster, I was kind of reluctant to go to L.A. because I wanted to make my own mark. I wanted to be the guy in Orlando. I wanted it to be my jersey only in Orlando. Once I won those three in a row, I knew I made the right move.
It’s hard to argue with this, given Shaq’s success in the City of Angels. But that came at the cost of his Orlando adventure, which ended after just four years. A heartbreak for local fans, given that the franchise had reached the Finals a year earlier and was poised for a bright future, thanks to the duo formed by the big man and Penny Hardaway. O’Neal even admits to having some regrets:
It was unfortunate that I left. I think if we would’ve stayed together, we would’ve at least got one. I don’t know about winning three in a row like we did in L.A., but I know we would have got one
Unsurprisingly, the relationship between the two parties has long been very tense. It took until 2024 for the Big Aristotle jersey to be retired in Orlando.
