You've seen giants on the hardcourt pound and glide their way toward their team's victory, but nothing comes close to how one LA Lakers alumnus has wowed the team's fans. Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most memorable players in the history of the LA Lakers. Fans of his craft on court and off the court grabbed Lakers tickets for his games for a chance to see this gentle giant in person.
Early years
Born Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal on March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey. His name means “little warrior” in Arabic and was given to him by his estranged biological father Joseph Toney. Shaq, as fans and friends know him, has been raised by his mother Lucille O'Neal and his stepfather Phillip Harrison. He spent part of his formative years in Germany where his stepfather was stationed. Shaquille played for his high school team, Robert G. Cole Junior-Senior High School and was eventually named as High School Player of the Year.
College years
After high school, Shaquille went to Louisiana State University and majored in business. He also played for the varsity team and exhibited prowess on the hardcourt, leading the LSU team to great heights. Shaq was named “Player of the Year” in 1991 in the NCAA and is recognized as having made the most number of blocks in NCAA history, when he battled it out with Mississippi State University's team. Things were looking up for Shaq when he was invited to play for the big leagues. He had to quit his studies when he made the decision to play in the NBA.
Going major league
Orlando Magic
Long before his games sold out countless Lakers tickets, Shaquille O'Neal started out in a different team. In 1992, Shaquille O' Neal formally gained entry to the big leagues by playing with Orlando Magic. His presence was undoubtedly an improvement for the team's performance. Shaq was the lucky charm that led to the team's winning of 20 games during his rookie season. At 7'1”, Shaq was known for his forceful dunks.Season '95-'96 then saw Shaquille incurring injuries to the abdomen, and so he was not able to play for the 28 games. Instead he kept himself busy by recording his own rap album and going back to school to earn his bachelor's degree. In 1996, Shaq participated in the Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia and has helped the US earn gold medal for men's basketball for that year.
LA Lakers
After season '95-'96, Shaquille O' Neal took an offer and joined the Los Angeles Lakers, along with a generally rookie set of players. He had always wanted to play with the Lakers and despite being given an offer from Orlando that was bigger than the Lakers' offer of $120 million in seven years, Shaq opted to start anew with the Lakers. Though the first few seasons were off for Shaquille when he suffered an injury, the Lakers became a force to be reckoned with when Shaq teamed up with an up and coming teen wonder, Kobe Bryant. Their tandem eventually led the Lakers to yet another victorious reign over the NBA, with championships and MVP awards in those years. Despite sales of LA Lakers tickets reaching great heights, the end of Shaq's contract with the Laker's loomed near. Though he was given an extension, Shaw refused to continue with the Lakers anymore and requested for a trade-off. He was then traded to Miami Heat, which he brought to championship during his stay. He is currently playing for the Phoenix Suns.
Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Basketball" article category.
People interested in the above article "The Big Shaq: One of LA Lakers Greatest Centers" are also interested in the related articles listed below:
Not all basket ball players contribute that much to their games. If you play hoops and you really want to improve your game and be one of the stars of your team, better make use of the basketball tips and tricks found in this piece.
According to studies, basketball is one of the most efficient ways to train your body. Basketball enhances agility, balance and endurance. Agility is the ability of the body to efficiently change from one stance to another. When you dribble the basketball from one side to another, or when you strive to avoid the opponent from getting that ball from you-that's your agile competency. If you want to enhance this strength, you ought to install at least portable basketball goals at your lawn so you can have a practice at your own tread and time.
Basketball is a popular sport and has taken the worlds by storm because of its athletic nature. Everyone can hoop against a wall and practice alone or with a small group of friends. Basketball was originally invented by Canadian coach named Dr James Naismith. He was asked to create an activity to entertain trainees the YMCA Training College during winter.
The National Basketball Association relies on various people to recruit the players that are ultimately selected to play professional basketball. These professionals have degrees that cover many areas of the sport, and most have experience with the game of basketball on a personal level. Some of those professionals simply have an eye for spotting talent in the oddest places, but still feel confident in their abilities to recruit the best after only seeing them play basketball once or twice.
College Basketball is big business. There is a lot of money to be made, and it's not just going into the pockets of overpaid pro athletes. The demand for college basketball apparel, memorabilia and footwear continues to grow. Fans of all ages purchase autographed caps to promote their favorite players, and they're taking a nostalgic turn and buying basketball jerseys of their own college teams. This demand is met by the modern generation of kids that live on the fashions launched by their favorite basketball stars.
From cars that float to New Coke bad ideas have permeated the marketplace for decades. The problem with bad ideas is that they always sound like good ideas until you actually get into them. By that time it's too late to prohibit the fiasco from occurring. The National Basketball Association experienced a good idea that turned into a bad reality in the 2006-2007 season when they introduced their new microfiber ball. Commissioners and regulators in the corporate office of NBA headquarters thought the new ball would increase points, increase action on the court and would be better for basketball and its fans as a whole. Unfortunately three great mistakes led to its downfall.
Alabama basketball tickets have been in demand recently, even though the overall sports scene in Tuscaloosa has been dominated by a certain football coach being hired amidst much fanfare. Even though the national spotlight has been on the gridiron, the Crimson Tide have been making an intense push to get back to the NCAA Tournament. Although Alabama is currently ranked in the polls, their spot in the "Big Dance" is not guaranteed at this point. Below we'll take a look at Alabama's qualifications to determine whether or not they'll be dancing next month.
