On the Court With... Shaquille O'Neal Read online

  Almost overnight, the Magic became one of the most popular teams in the NBA. As soon as Shaquille was drafted, Magic fans scooped up tickets for the upcoming season by the handful and Magic jerseys bearing O'Neal's name sold quickly.

  O'Neal spent the summer preparing for life in the NBA. He found a place to live in Orlando and attended a camp for centers operated by a highly respected coach named Pete Newell. Newell was impressed when O'Neal signed up. Few NBA centers recognized that there was always more to learn about basketball. O'Neal absorbed all he could during the summer sessions, then turned his attention to the start of his career as a professional basketball player.

  O'Neal was excited when the Magic's training camp began. He looked forward to meeting his new teammates and Coach Brian Hill. He had been frustrated in his final year of college and was eager to play in the NBA. There were so many talented players in the league that it would be impossible for another team to triple-team him as had been the case in college. Most college players find professional basketball much more difficult than the college game, but for O'Neal, it promised to be easier in some ways.

  Though the Magic didn't have much depth, they did have some talented players on their roster. Both Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott were deadly outside shooters. If O'Neal played hard underneath the basket, and Anderson and Scott could hit from outside, the Magic had the potential to beat any team in the league.

  He played his first NBA game on November 6, 1992, against the Miami Heat. O'Neal was nervous at the start, and it showed in his play. He tried to do too much and missed several easy shots. Then he settled down. Instead of trying to score every time he touched the ball, he looked for the open man and concentrated on playing defense and snagging rebounds.

  Nick Anderson got hot late in the game, scoring 42 points. The Magic emerged with a 110–100 victory. Although O'Neal scored only 12 points, he pulled down 18 big rebounds and shut down Miami close to the basket.

  He relaxed over the next week. His shots started falling as he led the Magic to three wins in their first four games. The league took notice of the impact he had on his team, and he was named the NBA Player of the Week, the first time a rookie had ever won the award in the first week of the season.

  A few weeks later the Magic traveled to New York to play the Knicks. The Knicks' center, Patrick Ewing, was considered the premier center in basketball. Basketball fans looked forward to the matchup, wondering if O'Neal could play as well against Ewing as he had against less-talented centers.

  The Knicks played O'Neal rough, for they knew that no other Magic player could hurt them close to the basket. Almost every time he got the ball, Patrick Ewing leaned in on O'Neal as powerful Knick forward Charles Oakley pawed at the ball. They made O'Neal work hard for every shot.

  But O'Neal also made Ewing work for his shots. Although the veteran had some success staying outside and shooting jumpers, when he was closer to the basket he had a difficult time getting off a shot, for O'Neal challenged him every time. Although Orlando lost, 92–77, O'Neal actually outplayed Ewing, getting him in foul trouble, outscoring him 18 to 15, and pulling down 17 rebounds. Ewing pulled down only 9. Clearly, O'Neal was already one of the elite centers in the league.

  And fans everywhere loved him. O'Neal swooped into town wearing an enormous floor-length leather coat with a Superman emblem emblazoned on the back, making him look even bigger than he was. He often spent time interacting with fans and was funny and engaging in interviews. Each time he left the team hotel, he was mobbed. He was already one of the most popular players in the league, almost as popular as Michael Jordan.

  O'Neal's popularity, in fact, was the cause of the biggest problem he faced his rookie year. NBA fans selected him over Ewing as a starting center in the NBA All-Star Game. Pat Riley, coach of the Knicks and the Eastern All-Stars, was angered and called O'Neal's selection “ridiculous.” He felt that O'Neal hadn't earned his selection to the starting five; even though O'Neal led Ewing in most statistical categories, the Magic were only playing .500 ball. O'Neal quieted the critics, however, by racking up 14 points and grabbing 7 rebounds in the contest, which the East lost to the West, 135–125, in overtime.

  Over the second half of the season, the Magic fought hard to make the playoffs. Entering the final week of the season, they were battling Indiana and Charlotte for the final spot. The Magic needed to win their last four games to get into the playoffs.

  Shaquille was superb down the stretch, dominating play on both ends of the floor. But the Magic managed to win only three of the final four games and ended the season tied with Indiana with a 41–41 record. The Pacers, who had beaten the Magic in head-to-head competition earlier in the year, won the playoff spot.

  To no one's surprise, O'Neal was named the Rookie of the Year. He had averaged 23 points and almost 14 rebounds a game for the season. But now he was glad it was over. He was tired and looked forward to doing other things. Since turning professional, he hadn't had time to do much but play basketball.

  O'Neal's endorsement contracts kept him busy in the off-season. He went all over the world making appearances. And with money in his pocket for the first time in his life, there were other things O'Neal wanted to do. After all, he was still only twenty years old. He had always loved music and rapping, so he made a rap record. And when he was offered a part in a movie, he jumped at the chance, playing a basketball player in a film about college basketball called Blue Chips. He also made a number of television commercials and appeared on all the big talk shows. By the time training camp began for his second season, some people were wondering whether O'Neal had spread himself too thin and whether playing basketball was his first priority. He wasn't in the best shape he could have been and received some criticism.

  But the Magic as a team were much improved. In a trade they picked up rookie point guard Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway. O'Neal had played with him in some pickup games and knew that Hardaway could help the Magic. Penny was one of the most talented young players in the league and gave the Magic something they desperately needed — a player to get the ball to the team's shooters.

  Yet another factor helped make the Magic instant contenders for the 1993–94 NBA title. After leading the Chicago Bulls to three straight championships, Michael Jordan retired to play baseball. The championship race was wide open, and the Magic seemed to have the talent to go all the way. People expected O'Neal and Hardaway to be as good as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson had been for the Lakers during their great championship run in the late 1980s.

  For much of the season, the Magic played as if they were up to the task. Hardaway ran the team's offense to perfection, getting the ball to the right players in the right place at the right time. As often as not, that meant getting the ball to O'Neal. O'Neal exploded at the start of the season, scoring 42, 36, and 37 points in his first three games.

  The Magic were clearly one of the best teams in the league. But O'Neal soon learned that with success come increased expectations and jealousy. When he had a rare off game, he was criticized. Other players in the league griped about all the attention he received. The NBA even broadcast more Magic games than any other team in the league. Others complained that while he was very, very good, he wasn't as good as he could be and that other centers in the league — such as Patrick Ewing, Charlotte's Alonzo Mourning, San Antonio Spur David Robinson, and Houston Rocket Hakeem Olajuwon —were just as good.

  O'Neal understood. He knew that the real measure of an NBA player is his ability to lead a team to a championship. Until he did that, there would always be someone complaining that he hadn't reached his full potential.

  The Magic finished the season with a record of 50–32 and easily made the playoffs.

  They faced the Indiana Pacers in the first round. The best-of-five series opened in Indiana. The Pacers were tough to beat on their home court. They took the first two games — then dumped the Magic in Orlando in Game Three. Orlando's season was over.

  Shaquille said late
r, “This is the most down I've ever felt.” He promised everyone that in the off-season his focus would be basketball and nothing else. He was determined to prove to everyone that he could win.

  He gave up much of his summer to play for the U.S. team with other NBA players in the world championships. Although there was little question whether the United States would win the tournament, it was still important. If they let down and lost, it would affect the placement of the U.S. team in the next Olympic Games.

  Everyone connected with the team was impressed by the way O'Neal played and behaved. Other players who had been jealous of him or thought that he was stuck-up were surprised to discover that he was the hardest-working player in practice. And in the locker room, he was the team clown, keeping everyone loose. He led the team in both scoring and rebounding as the United States swept the world to win the gold medal.

  O'Neal's commitment and improvement on court continued in the 1994–95 season. He developed a short hook shot and fadeaway jumper to give him alternatives close to the basket and help keep him out of foul trouble. Most teams had already figured out that the best way to stop him was to get him in foul trouble and dare him to make his free throws. The new shots made it easier for O'Neal to avoid making offensive fouls. The Magic also picked up former Chicago Bulls power forward Horace Grant, giving the team another option close to the basket. This addition made it more difficult for the opposition to double-team O'Neal.

  The Magic got off to a quick start and at mid-season again looked like a potential NBA champion. Then something unexpected happened. Michael Jordan returned to the NBA.

  As a member of the Chicago Bulls, Jordan had been the biggest star in the NBA, leading them to three consecutive titles before retiring to pursue his dream of playing professional baseball. But after playing in the minor leagues for a season, he decided that he missed basketball and returned to the Bulls. Without him, the Bulls had been a good team but not a contender for the championship. But now Jordan had returned and seemed to be playing as well as he had before his premature retirement. The Bulls were suddenly one of the favorites again to win the NBA title.

  O'Neal and his teammates tried not to worry about that. They just focused on winning games. And that was something they were beginning to make look easy.

  They won the NBA Atlantic Division with a record of 57–25, two games ahead of the New York Knicks. O'Neal seemed on the verge of becoming the player everyone expected him to be. He won the NBA scoring title, averaging more than 29 points per game. But he knew that would mean nothing until the Magic proved themselves in the playoffs.

  In the first round they beat the Boston Celtics in four games, setting up a second-round matchup against the Chicago Bulls. Since Jordan had returned, the Bulls had been playing better basketball, but not as consistently as they had before his retirement. Jordan was surprisingly rusty. Sometimes he'd score big and lead the Bulls to victory by a wide margin, and at other times he would struggle.

  O'Neal and the Magic knew they had to beat the Bulls, not just Jordan. And they knew the Bulls didn't have any player who could match up against O'Neal.

  The two teams played a tough six-game series. By rotating several centers to play opposite O'Neal, the Bulls hoped to wear him down and get him in foul trouble. But O'Neal played smart, and the Magic came out on top.

  They faced Indiana in the Eastern Conference finals and got revenge for their loss in the playoffs the year before. The Magic were going to the finals!

  O'Neal and his teammates were ecstatic. This is what they dreamed of. The city of Orlando was going crazy, giving the team a parade and already treating them like champions. Most NBA observers thought that the best teams in the NBA were in the Eastern Conference and that the Magic would beat the Western Conference champions easily.

  That notion was reinforced when the Houston Rockets won the Western Conference championship. The Rockets had barely finished over .500 in the regular season. They looked to be a one-man team built around center Hakeem Olajuwon, who was having a spectacular season. Indiana Pacer coach Larry Brown spoke for many when he said, “I would pay to see Shaq and Hakeem play. I can't imagine it getting any better than this.” But few people really gave the Rockets much of a chance. The other Rocket players were either over-the-hill veterans like Clyde Drexler or younger players unproven in playoff competition. The press thought that even if Olajuwon played O'Neal to a standoff, the rest of the Magic would be too much for the Rockets.

  But while the Rockets had played in the Western Conference finals, the Magic had some time off. They started to celebrate early and believed their press clippings. They lost their edge.

  After storming out in the first game to take a big lead, the Magic got overconfident and lost the lead in the third quarter. Then, after leading by three points late in the game, Nick Anderson missed four straight free throws that could have put the game away. They lost on the last play when Olajuwon tipped in the winning basket over O'Neal.

  As he wrote later in his book Shaq Talks Back, O'Neal believed “that was the series. … We were shell-shocked.” The Magic started rushing everything, and no one was hitting from outside. Meanwhile, Houston's “no-name” lineup wasn't missing and Olajuwon was playing the best basketball of his career. O'Neal was holding his own, but no one else on the Magic stepped up to help him. The Rockets won four straight games to take the championship.

  O'Neal and the Magic were humiliated. As they rode away from the Houston Arena after Game Four, delirious Rocket fans smacked the side of the Magic bus with brooms, reminding them they had just been swept.

  Coach Hill told his team to remember the feeling. Shaquille O'Neal had heard that once before. He couldn't forget it.

  Chapter Five: 1995–99

  California Dreaming

  For Shaquille O'Neal, the 1995–96 season almost ended before it even started. In an exhibition game against Miami, he got the ball down low against the Heat's overmatched center, Matt Geiger. O'Neal knew Geiger couldn't stop him. He spun quickly toward the basket and went up to jam the ball through the hoop.

  But just as in his days at LSU, the opposition had decided the best way to slow down O'Neal was to hack at him. Even in professional basketball, referees were still reluctant to call fouls on players guarding O'Neal. As Shaq went up to the basket, Geiger banged into him, knocking him off balance. O'Neal still managed to throw the shot down, but he banged his hand hard on the rim. His thumb was broken!

  For the next two months, O'Neal watched the games from the sidelines as his thumb healed. Fortunately, the Magic played well in his absence. When Shaq returned to the lineup, they started thinking about the finals again.

  But now Michael Jordan was all the way back. The Bulls lost only ten games during the regular season. When they faced the Magic in the playoffs, Jordan and his teammates were unstoppable. Matters worsened after Horace Grant was injured in the second game of the series. For the second year in a row, the Magic were swept in the playoffs as the Bulls went on to win another NBA title. It was beginning to look as though Shaq would never win a title in Orlando.

  At the end of the season, Shaq's contract was up. He had the right to become a free agent. O'Neal mulled returning to Orlando. He liked the city and he liked his teammates, but he felt they were all becoming frustrated. “No one wanted to deal with their roles down there,” he told a reporter later. “Everyone wanted the ball and their minute in the sun. But that's not the way it is if you want to win.” At the same time, there were also other issues to consider.

  In the NBA, each team is allowed to spend only a certain amount of money on player salaries, what is known as a salary cap. The Magic had just given guard Penny Hardaway a big new contract, which didn't leave as much for O'Neal as he wanted, not to mention the other players on the team.

  In the back of his mind, he had always wanted to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. They were one of the most storied franchises in the NBA with a long tradition of star centers. When the team had been
based in Minneapolis in the 1950s, Laker center George Mikan had revolutionized the game as the first big center in pro basketball. The great Wilt Chamberlain had also played for the Lakers, winning a title in Los Angeles. And in the 1980s, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had teamed up with Magic Johnson to make the Lakers one of the best teams in NBA history. O'Neal liked the notion of being the next big center to lead the Lakers to a championship.

  He also thought there were more opportunities for him off the court in Los Angeles than in Orlando. He enjoyed acting in films, and to do so he had to spend time in Los Angeles anyway. There were also a number of musicians based in Los Angeles that he wanted to work with on his rap records. There were other factors, too. Although O'Neal wasn't yet married, he was now the father of his longtime girlfriend's daughter. Unlike his own biological father, O'Neal was determined to take an active role in his daughter's life and be there for her. His girlfriend was urging O'Neal to make the move to Los Angeles.

  The Lakers were also eager to sign O'Neal. Since Magic Johnson had been forced to retire after contracting the HIV virus, the Lakers had struggled. But they were determined to reach the top of the NBA again and decided that O'Neal was the player to take them there. When O'Neal heard that, he was impressed. In Orlando some people had started whispering that as good as he was, he wasn't the kind of a player who could win a championship.

  Everybody kept bringing up something O'Neal had said a couple of years earlier, after the Magic had been bounced out of the playoffs. When he was asked how he felt, he said that he still expected to win a championship, because he'd won at every level “except college and pro.”

  The press howled at the statement. From their perspective, that meant O'Neal hadn't won anywhere. But they had misunderstood O'Neal. He had also won other championships, in high school and summer leagues and tournaments. He hadn't won in college, but neither had hundreds of other NBA players. All he had meant was that he was still confident in his ability to win. But everybody who read the quote thought he just didn't understand what winning was all about.