Comments on: Lakers to retire Shaquille O’Neal’s number 34 on April 2

By: omniusprime

omniusprime — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 13:12:29 +0000

Nice to see the Lakers honor a truly great center, Shaquille O’Neal. It will be great to see Shaq’s number up there with the other Laker greats, eat your hearts out rest of the NBA! I hope that on April 2nd Howard sees this and makes a commitment to earning the opportunity to have his number retired as a Laker great who won several championships. Kobe’s number definitely belongs up there after he retires, both of them.

By: chicagosworth

chicagosworth — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 01:34:36 +0000

Deserved

By: bougin89

bougin89 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:40:28 +0000

I loved Shaq as a player but man he is brutal on TNT.

By: badintent

badintent — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 07:49:29 +0000

What’s Kareem getting his statue for ? His wife beating, dope smoking arrest, or his whining bigot remarks over 20 years.?? He was never in the running to be a head coach despite his playing experience and high Basketball IQ.Loser. On Friday night videos( right here on ProBasketball), I saw Wilt’s sky hook shot, 20 years before Kareem’s. Kareem couldn’t hold Wilt’s jock. I still remember Elvin “Big E” Hayes pouring 39 points on Lewis in the biggest college game ever !!

By: zblott

zblott — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 05:33:21 +0000

Shaq actually provided more to his teams over the years than either Wilt or Hakeem, which is why he’s the 3rd best center of all-time.

Want to see a comparison of attributes/contributions?:
http://www.behindthebasket.com/btb/2011/6/2/shaqs-place-among-the-best-centers-ever.html

By: fm31970

fm31970 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 04:43:20 +0000

You mean “retire #34 again”, right?:

34 — Clyde Lovellette, Minneapolis Lakers. Lovellette was one of the earliest centers to mix bruising interior toughness with the ability to score from the outside. In a six-season span from 1955 to 1961 during his Hall of Fame career, Lovellette averaged more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for the Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals and St. Louis Hawks. It was not weird that the Lakers retired his number in Minneapolis. What was weird was that, when Shaquille O’Neal signed with the Lakers more 30 years later, the team issued him No. 34 anyway. Oh, well. Since the Lakers moved to Los Angeles, snubs of Lovellette have been common

By: congocash

congocash — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 04:09:42 +0000

Maybe they’ll have pity on us and retire his tnt jersey also.

By: cosanostra71

cosanostra71 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 04:04:39 +0000

I won’t lie and say I’m not still a little bitter about everything that happened (mostly what he said after he was traded) but Shaq is one of the most deserving Lakers as far as retiring numbers. He did so much for the franchise, an all-time great. Those three title teams were some of the more fun teams to watch in my lifetime. I hope they retire George Mikan’s number too.

By: timb12

timb12 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 04:02:22 +0000

Whoops. But either way I love Shaq. The only bad thing you can say about Shaq is that he gave Aries Spears work with that awful Shaq impression.

By: fordmandalay

fordmandalay — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 03:58:49 +0000

CAN YOU DIG IT???

By: stayhigh_247

stayhigh_247 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 03:52:38 +0000

It’s only right….Shaq was a beast! The Lakers front office has been making some really good decisions this summer. Kareem should of had his statue first though before Ervin….just sayin…

By: camnellum12

camnellum12 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 03:49:36 +0000

Or the greatest player ever. Seriously, Shaq coasted in the regular season most of his career, and only won 1 MVP. His game was the potential of 5 or 6 MVP’s. People claim Shaq is the 2nd coming of Wilt Chamberlain, but Wilt was a better defender, rebounder, and scorer, so Shaq was about half (or less) of what Wilt was. It’s crazy to me that Shaq NEVER won a rebounding title, and after his rookie season, was a lazy defender. He was a lazy/goofy player, but when April/May came around, he was all business. That’s what makes me laugh about other Laker fans that was happy when Bynum left, because he had the same mindset, but he wasn’t the No.1 option. Anyway, I’m glad Shaq is getting his number retired and he should, he’s the 2nd or 3rd best center in franchise history.

By: manotas211

manotas211 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 02:30:13 +0000

Well deserved. I’m glad the Lakers are going to retire Shaq’s jersey. Thanks for those 8 years of dominance. Shaq the most dominant Laker.

By: lakerluver

lakerluver — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 01:59:49 +0000

@timb12, he’s getting his jersey retired, Kareem is getting a statue. Anyway, yeah, well deserved. I too hated that Kobe & Shaq couldn’t coexist longer. It is no telling how many titles they would’ve won. I agree with what Shaq has said many times, they were the best duo ever. During those 3 title winning seasons Shaq was utterly dominant. I almost felt pity for the centers he faced in those 3 Finals. Mutumbo was the best defensive center in the league and Shaq just abused him. If Shaq had the attitude and drive that Kobe has he could’ve been the greatest center ever.

By: dondada10

dondada10 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 01:49:34 +0000

Quite the sentence:

“While some Laker fans are still (are always?) bitter about how he left and this said about Kobe Bryant, owner Jerry Buss said before Shaq would get his number retired There had been a theory that the Lakers would not retire Shaq’s jersey until after Kobe has his retired (which number for Kobe is another question).”

By: 00maltliquor

00maltliquor — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 01:20:32 +0000

Shaq in a Lakers jersey were some of my happiest, most memorable years as a sports/basketball/Laker fan. Well deserved. Thanks for the memories, and the rings Shaq.

I don’t think I’ll ever see a player quite like Shaq for the rest of my lifetime with all the skills, power and dominance he possesed. I remember back in middle school when he hit free agency I prayed every breakfast, lunch and dinner, when I woke up to when I went to bed that the Lakers would sign him. I couldn’t believe it when they did, I still remember the newspaper that morning, The Press-Enterprise with Shaq in a Purple and Gold and the header saying “Cash Cow”. I think back then he had signed a 7 year, $120 million dollar deal that was the largest ever seen at that time.

Woulda been funny if they woulda scheduled that jersey retirement playing against ORL instead of DAL. For multiple reasons!

By: dysraw1

dysraw1 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:59:36 +0000

Shack daddy ,the big cactus superman b-ball entertainment at its best much love

By: miamatt

miamatt — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:55:37 +0000

I think it was more a matter of Shaq still being an active player in the league until 2011 delaying it, but your first point is well stated. A no brainer for the Lakers.

By: money2long

money2long — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:53:09 +0000

Can’t wait to see the Kobe element that night. I assume the camera pans to Kobe’s face a lot. I assume he and Shaq embrace. Also, Phil Jackson has to show up to this right? The big 3 in the staples that night. Should be cool to watch.

By: timb12

timb12 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:45:01 +0000

I hope it’s a statue of him doing something great. Like high stepping down court, dancing, or staring at his hand.

By: manchestermiracle

manchestermiracle — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:35:23 +0000

For the love of journalism, Kurt, get a proofreader already.

By: j0esixpack

j0esixpack — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:29:34 +0000

There is no question he deserves this.

Bravo Shaq!

By: rocketsbb

rocketsbb — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:28:24 +0000

If they had better team chemistry these guys could’ve won a couple more and maybe even beat that 04 pistons team.

By: eureca323

eureca323 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:20:05 +0000

Well deserved. He dominated for a 3 peat. First ever Lakers 3 peat. Only the Bulls and Celtics the other teams that have 3 peat’ed. Obviously a no brainer. It was just a matter of the messy divorce maybe delaying it slightly.

By: cramsinned

cramsinned — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:03:10 +0000

Shaqtin a fool