During one of the episodes of “The Big Podcast with Shaq” the former Orlando Magic icon, four-time NBA champion, and three-time NBA Finals MVP, Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, expressed what he felt like when he saw legend Michael Jordan playing on the court in his prime time.
The former player, podcaster, and ESPN’s analyst, JJ Redick, asked O’Neal about his experience when he saw six-time NBA champion and six-time NBA Finals MVP Hall of Famer, Jordan playing, to which he mentioned, “I don’t know what God looks like, It’s like seeing God. The stuff he did on TV and when you saw it in real life, you’re like, ‘Oh my God, this is really real.’”
“I don’t know what God looks like, It’s like seeing God”
– Shaq on Michael Jordan
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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 6, 2024
He further continued, “One of the first plays of the game, in my mind I’m thinking, ‘I’m not getting f***ing dunked on,’ so I tried to meet him early. The mother****er slipped by me, I bumped him, and he still did that sh*t, laid it up off the glass, and the crowd went crazy. I was like, ‘F**k, this guy is real.’”
O’Neal was a prominent prospect, coming from LSU, and was picked up in the 1992 NBA Draft in the first round as the first overall pick. He was selected by the Orlando Magic, with whom he achieved significant feats. In 1993, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year and also became the first rookie to be named to an All-Star game since Jordan in 1985.
In 1994-95 NBA season, O’Neal led the league in scoring, had a 29.3 points average and acquired his third All-Star game. The 1995 NBA Playoffs saw, the Magic squad defeat the Boston Celtics and in the Conference Semifinals, they went on to defeat Jordan led Chicago Bulls.
However, they were stopped in the finals by the Houston Rockets, who later went on to win the championship, led by icons Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. During his illustrious career, O’Neal achieved incredible feats in the league and became one of the most well-known basketball players globally.
O’Neal ended his career by posting 28,596 points, 13,099 rebounds, and 2,732 blocks throughout his nineteen seasons, which he played with six teams.
