Shaq Retires

Shaquille O'Neal has announced his retirement after 19 NBA seasons.  After six teams, four rings, and a memorable NBA career, the Big Diesel will not be forgotten because of another reason.Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most charismatic figures in sports.  He had an infectious personality.  He also starred in movies and rap albums.  He was in touch with social media so much that he actually announced his retirement by using the social networking tool Tout.  His persona and image went well beyond basketball.

Shaq finishes his career 5th on all-time scoring list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, and Wilt Chamberlain with 28,596 points.  By the way, Kobe Bryant is 729 points away from surpassing Shaq for 5th on the all-time scoring list.

Shaq won four championships in his career.  He won three championships and three NBA Finals MVPs with the Los Angeles Lakers.  He won a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006 alongside Dwyane Wade.

Shaq finishes his NBA career 3rd in free throw attempts, 7th in blocks, and 12th in rebounds.  Shaq won an NBA MVP award in 1999-2000 and was a 15-time NBA All-Star.