Shaquille O'Neal is one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA and he is also one of the greatest players to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. O'Neal brought three championships to the "City of Angels" and he was a dominant force for eight seasons he spent playing there.
O'Neal will have his own statue outside the Lakers arena, Staples Center, as a reward for his legendary career and achievements.
The statue will be 10 feet tall
O'Neal's statue will be hanging ten feet above the ground and will be showing the big man delivering a strong two-handed dunk, which was one of his signature moves.
The Lakers already have statues of their other legends, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, and Shaquille's statue will further show how many amazing players the Lakers have had throughout their history.
Since the Lakers decided to give Shaquille O'Neal a statue, it is expected of them to do the same for the greatest shooting guard in the franchise history, Kobe Bryant. O'Neal and Bryant played together during Shaq's tenure with the Lakers, and they were one of the best center-guard duos in the history of the league. However, Bryant retired last season, so it will most likely take a few years for him to get his jersey retired by the Lakers, and to possibly get his own statue.
Thank You Buss Family! #speechless pic.twitter.com/vkcKtKB7i6
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) March 22, 2017
O'Neal deserves this honor
In 2013, Los Angeles Lakers retired O'Neal's jersey and they will give him a statue this year. What O'Neal brought to the Lakers is immeasurable and he undoubtedly deserves all these honors. The former Laker is arguably the best center in NBA history and if it wasn't for him, the Lakers most likely wouldn't be one of the best-known NBA franchises.
Beside championships and record-breaking performances, Shaquille O'Neal brought popularity to the Lakers and his value to the team was immense.
During his eight-year tenure in Los Angeles, O'Neal averaged 27.0 points, 11.8 assists and 2.5 blocks per game. Beside his impressive stats, records and accolades, O'Neal led the Lakers to four NBA finals appearances and three championships. His legacy will never be forgotten and Shaquille O'Neal will always be considered one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball.
