The Story of the Big Aristotle
2023/24 Topps Chrome Basketball Superfly #SF-3 Shaquille O’Neal
The Big Aristotle. Diesel. Big Fella. Superman. Or, simply, Shaq. Shaquille O’Neal was a man with many nicknames over his hall-of-fame career, and there’s something fitting in that. To start with, he really does feel larger-than-life. On the court, he was perhaps the most dominant player of all time, and off, his gregarious and hilarious personality has kept him in the public eye for over a decade since retiring. Shaq did it all. He tore down backboards, he starred in movies. He fought with Kobe; he put out video games. He won. His impact on culture from the time he crashed the league in 1992 continues to this day.
Shaq Likes it Hot
2022 Topps x Shaquille O’Neal – Card 6 by Naturel Artist Proof/34
Shaq was perhaps the most hyped prospect to hit the league since Patrick Ewing in 1985. In his draft year, Minnesota had the highest chance of winning the lottery, Orlando second. On a podcast, O’Neal claimed that then-Commissioner David Stern asked him if he’d rather play somewhere hot or cold before the lottery. He replied, hot. Orlando won the lottery. Shaq said he didn’t even think about it again until draft night when Stern walked past him with the envelope containing the first pick—and winked at O’Neal. The superhero was off to Disney World.
Dominant Out of the Gates
2022 Topps x Shaquille O’Neal – Card 1 by Chuck Styles Artist Proof /34
Shaq became the first rookie in league history to win Player of the Week in the first-ever week of his career. He averaged 25 PPG, 16.7 RPG, and 3.5 blocks in his first four games. The legend grew in an instant. Shaq started the All-Star game as a rookie, finished seventh in MVP voting, won Rookie of the Year, and broke two backboards. While dunks weren’t an official stat, it has been claimed that Shaq had 322 as a rookie, more than twice the total of any player in the league in 1992/93.
1993 Topps Stadium Club Frequent Flyers #358 Shaquille O’Neal (Card Back)
By 1995, O’Neal was arguably the biggest personality in basketball, except for Michael Jordan. Forming the league’s most exciting duo with point guard virtuoso Penny Hardaway, O’Neal won the scoring title—before doing the impossible—beating MJ in a playoff series. Orlando was swept in the Finals, but for Shaq, it was only a matter of time.
Shaq Hollywood
2022 Topps x Shaquille O’Neal – Card 3 by Chuck Styles Artist Proof /34
But, it ended up also being a matter of place. Shaq left Orlando and Penny and split for the coast, signing a massive contract with Los Angeles. He and a young Kobe Bryant struggled to get over the hump at first, losing playoff series to Utah (twice) followed by San Antonio, in 1999.
2023/24 Topps Chrome Basketball #RR-14 Shaquille O’Neal
In 2000, 2001, and 2002 Shaq was an absolute force of nature. With Phil Jackson, he and Kobe rose to heights few have reached before or since. O’Neal claimed his first (and somehow, only) MVP award in 2andl as his first ring. In 2001, he and Bryant carried L.A. through what may have been the most dominant postseason display in league history. They swept through the Western Conference, including a humiliation of San Antonio, with Shaq closing the series out with 39 and 29-point victories.
Despite a herculean effort from diminutive Allen Iverson in the Finals, Los Angeles took it home in five games. A 15-1 playoff campaign remains tied for fewest losses in a championship run. The following year, Los Angeles made it three in a row. For good measure, Shaq took home all three Finals MVPs.
Back to the Sunshine State
2023/24 Topps Chrome Basketball #148 Shaquille O’Neal Black Refractor /10
After breaking up with Kobe, Shaq moved to Miami, lost in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and finished second in MVP voting. The following year, he and Dwayne Wade brought Miami its first-ever championship and Shaq’s fourth title. As time went on, injuries piled up, and five years later, O’Neal retired as one of the greatest ever to play. And, somehow, for Shaq – it was only the beginning.
Shaq Diesel Keeps on Running
2022 Topps x Shaquille O’Neal – Card 4 by Chuck Styles
Shaq is still everywhere: turn on your television, hop online, and he’s there. A co-host of the beloved Inside the NBA, O’Neal remains a key cog in basketball culture. Indeed, through his decorated career and beyond, The Big Aristotle has become, and remains, a piece of the very fabric of American Life.
