Love Shaq

There's not going to be too much overly special about this particular post.  This is actually a post I never would've thought I would've written if you'd told me 10 years ago that I would be.  On Wednesday, one of the greatest players to play the game of basketball decided to call it quits for a career.  Shaquille O'Neal announced on Wednesday that, after a 19 year career, he has decided to retire from the NBA.

What made Shaq one of the greatest wasn't always about his talent, but what he brought to the game of basketball both on and off the court.  Shaq was one of the most "real" stars of the game.  What do I mean by that?  Frankly, he let his personality shine through, and wasn't afraid to be who he was.  He had other interests outside the game of basketball, and he would pursue those, but never at the expense of his team and teammates.  In an era where it's far too common to read about athletes putting themselves in situations they shouldn't be in, Shaq was one that never did.  He was flamboyant at times, yet still humble at times.  He was the consummate teammate.

I'm not going to go through all of the Hall of Fame caliber numbers, but trust me, they're there.  There's absolutely no question that he is one of the greatest big men to ever play the game.  In fact, when he broke into the league 19 years ago, he revolutionized the way the game was played.  He was nearly unguardable at times, and even spawned a new style of late-game defensive strategy known as the "Hack-A-Shaq."  He brought Orlando to an NBA Finals, along with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, winning with both the Lakers and Heat.  Later in his career, he hung on because he wanted to play the game, because it was a game that had given him almost everything he had...which was fitting, because he did the same.  Sure, there were times where he was injured and didn't practice much because of bad feet or leg problems, but his heart was always there.

As a personality, there was almost no one more entertaining in the game.  He may have come across as bland at times, but what came out of his mouth was usually great for conversation, and many times, great for a laugh.  Kobe Bryant aside, his teammates loved him, and, if he were honest with himself, Kobe did as well.  Kobe has proven later in his career that he is "the man", just as Shaq used to be.  But without Shaq, Kobe's early success would've more than likely come much later in his career.  Whether he wants to admit it or not, Shaq helped Kobe learn how to win, and learn how to lead a team.  Putting a team on his shoulders was a Shaquille O'Neal calling card, and that's now been passed on to Kobe.

Over the last two or three seasons, Shaq wasn't close to the player he used to be, but that didn't stop him from trying.  I always hated when my team would run up against him, but have learned to respect the talent and overall person that is Shaquille O'Neal.  Thanks for the great career!