Shaquille O’Neal

Bio:
Shaquille O’Neal (born Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal on March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey) is a retired American basketball player, now a sports analyst for the show Inside the NBA. Shaq is one of the most prolific players to ever grace the court, both for his prowess and his insane stature; Shaq stands at 7’1″ and weighs 325 lbs. After playing basketball for Louisiana State, Shaq was picked first overall in the 1992 NBA draft, and signed to the Orlando Magic as a center. He won Rookie of the Year for the 1992-1993 season, and took the team to the finals in 1995. After four years with the Magic, Shaq became a free agent with the LA Lakers in 1996, playing with the team until 2004. He was voted MVP for the 1999-2000 season. Tensions with teammate Kobe Bryant and disputes over salary led to him departing from the team and joining the Miami Heat in 2004. He stayed with them until 2008,  subsequently playing with the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics before retiring in 2011. Aside from being an NBA legend, Shaq is a frequent media personality. He famously starred in the movie Kazaam, as well as Blue Chips and several Adam Sandler films. He, of course, starred in the music video for Aaron Carter’s “That’s How I Beat Shaq.” He also attempted a rap career, actually releasing five albums, and appearing on the Michael Jackson song “2Bad.” In 2016, it was announced that Shaq would be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Best Known For:
Shaq is best known as an NBA player after playing in the league for nearly 20 years.

Personal Life:
Shaq was married to Shaunie Nelson from 2002-2009. They have four children together: Shareef, Amirah, Shaqir, and Me’arah. He dated Nikki “Hoopz” Alexander shortly after their divorce, but they have since broken up. Shaq is now a basketball commentator on TNT and an author, as well as the majority owner of the Sacramento Kings.