In 2022, Shaquille O’Neal joined the All-Star weekend in Cleveland as one of the NBA’s 75 greatest players of all time. However, 25 years prior to that, the backboard-breaking 7-footer was also part of the league’s golden jubilee celebration.
Advertisement
Interestingly, the 1997 All-Star weekend was also hosted in Cleveland, back when their home ground was known as Gund Arena. And despite being an active player at the time, Shaq missed out on the festivities.
He had earned his fifth consecutive All-Star selection but that was hardly the highest praise he received that year. Despite playing in just his fifth season of professional basketball, O’Neal also earned the nod as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.
The ceremony celebrating the league’s greats was set to take place during halftime of the 1997 All-Star Game. However, Shaq would be notably absent in Cleveland due to an injury he had incurred just a week earlier.
Playing against Washington, O’Neal banged legs with Gheorghe Muresan while executing a spin move. Unfortunately, that would lead to a knee injury that forced the dominant big man to miss the final two games before All-Star break.
The big man would return for the Lakers’ first game after the All-Star break, though his body hadn’t recovered enough for a full game. O’Neal ended up missing over a month of action due to his knee injury, and it could have been a longer recovery period if he hadn’t rested his legs during the All-Star weekend.
“He [Team Physician Steve Lombardo] told me, ‘If you want to play, play. But if you twist it, you could be out the rest of the year.’” Shaq had said about his absence from ASG.
The decision to skip the ceremony for the 50th Anniversary team must have been a difficult one, but prioritizing his health also proved Shaq’s commitment to winning with his new team.
Apart from the newest member of the Purple and Gold, Lakers General Manager Jerry West was also among the absentees. The Logo was battling an ear infection at the time and had to undergo surgery to rectify the issue, forcing him to miss the ceremony as well.
Pistol Pete Maravich was the third and final member of the 50th Anniversary Team who wasn’t in Cleveland since he had tragically passed away in 1988.
Nonetheless, every player on that 50th Anniversary Team had led prolonged careers to earn themselves a spot in history. The fact that Shaq had earned a part in that group through just four and a half NBA seasons was proof of his otherworldly dominance.
After missing the All-Star weekend, O’Neal still wasn’t fit enough to suit up for the Lakers. He incurred his injury on the 2nd of February and it would take him until April 12th to play more than one quarter of basketball.
However, when he did return to the hardwood, he led his team to a 7-2 record in his first 9 games back from injury. The Lakers ended the season with an impressive 56-26 record, even with their superstar center missing over 30 games.
In the first round of the Playoffs, Shaq averaged 33 points and 9 rebounds to send the Trail Blazers packing. However, the Conference Semi-Finals would see O’Neal and the Lakers be humbled by the experienced Utah Jazz. They beat LA 4-1 by holding Shaq to just 22 points per game on sub-50% shooting from the field.
