“Invited Me on This Beautiful Yacht”: When Shaquille O’Neal Revealed Why He Loved Miami Heat Owner

Shaquille O’Neal’s tenure with the Miami Heat ended unceremoniously after the Hall of Fame big man helped lead the franchise to its first championship. Fractured relationships played a part in the 15-time All-Star’s departure, but in his 2011 memoir, Shaq discussed a relationship he made during his time in South Beach that he truly missed once he left.

While Shaq’s dynamic with head coach Pat Riley was nearly irredeemable by the end of his Heat tenure, the 19-year veteran reminisced on his close ties with the team’s owner, Micky Arison. Shaq heaped praise on his former team’s owner in his book, dubbing Arison the best owner he ever played for and describing him as “friendly, gentle, generous, and kind.” Shaq also said Arison played his ownership role perfectly by supporting the team while never getting too deep into the Heat’s internal affairs.

O’Neal also brought up how welcoming Arison was when he first arrived in Miami. The four-time champion reminisced about a time the team owner took him seaside to show him what life would be like in South Beach. The Diesel said in Shaq Uncut,

“I’m not a big schmoozer, but when I first got to Miami, Mr. Arison invited me on this beautiful yacht.” 

Arison always made sure Shaq knew how appreciated he was in Miami. The 75-year-old immediately shared the confidence he had in his newest star, telling Shaq that he believed the team was now equipped to win a championship. Arison also made it clear to Shaq that he could come to him for anything he needed.

While the pair’s bond seemingly stayed strong throughout O’Neal’s time with the Heat, tensions rose to an unconsolable level, which resulted in the former MVP’s Heat stint ending after just over three seasons.

Shaq and Riley’s shattered relationship led to trade

Shaquille O’Neal’s quickly deteriorating relationship with Pat Riley is well documented. While the two were on the same page during the team’s championship run, things quickly changed once the former Heat coach started disrespecting O’Neal. Their issues were never mended, so Shaq was shipped to Phoenix for forward Shawn Marion. O’Neal proved during his short time with the Suns that he was still capable of dominance, earning the last All-Star appearance of his legendary career.

While Shaq may have been happy to rid himself of the overbearing Riley, there’s no doubt that the 52-year-old made many lasting connections during him time with in South Beach. Shaq was able to accomplish his ultimate goal in Miami, but his bond with Arison clearly means just as much to him.