Shaquille O’Neal is widely regarded as one of the most dominant players in NBA history. He amassed a number of accolades throughout 19 seasons in the league, including Rookie of the Year and MVP honors. O’Neal won four NBA titles and was named Finals MVP three times. Stationed at the center position, O’Neal made an immediate impact the moment he entered the league in 1992 as the Orlando Magic’s No. 1 overall Draft pick. He became the first player in NBA history to be named Player of the Week in his first week in the league. Career The Louisiana State product played four seasons with Orlando, which included a trip to the NBA Finals in 1995. He led the league in scoring that season with 29.3 points per game. O’Neal signed with the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent in 1996, joining the franchise he would eventually become most synonymous with. From 2000-2003, O’Neal helped guide the Lakers to three straight championships. He averaged a combined 35.7 points and 14.9 rebounds during the three-peat, earning Finals MVP in each series. O’Neal enjoyed much success while playing alongside superstar Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. The tandem is considered one of the most legendary duos in NBA history, but growing friction between the two stars resulted in a split following the Lakers’ loss to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals. O’Neal played eight seasons for the purple and gold and ranks seventh all-time in franchise points, sixth in rebounds and second in blocks. In 2006, O’Neal returned to the NBA Finals and helped the Miami Heat capture their first championship. It would be O’Neal’s fourth and final title. Embracing a plethora of nicknames, “Superman” maintained a humorous and lively attitude while being the biggest nightmare for opposing teams throughout his career. He stood tall at 7-foot-1 and weighed 325 pounds. To help neutralize O’Neal’s imposing physical presence, “Hack-a-Shaq” was born. The strategy intended to exploit O’Neal's poor free-throw shooting by committing intentional fouls on him. He finished his career with 11,252 free throw attempts, the third most in NBA history. After helping his first three teams reach the NBA Finals, O’Neal played for three more organizations (Suns, Cavaliers, Celtics) before retiring from basketball. The future “Inside the NBA” personality announced his retirement on social media in 2011. O’Neal won two scoring titles and finished with a total of 28,596 career points, the eighth most in league history. He ranks sixth all-time in field goals, 15th in rebounds and eighth in blocks. His 15 All-Star appearances are tied for the fourth most in NBA history. “The Diesel” won three All-Star Game MVPs, including a co-MVP that he split with former teammate Bryant in 2009. Both the Lakers and Heat retired O’Neal’s jersey. His dominant career culminated with an induction to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.