Winning four NBA championships throughout his 19-year NBA career, Shaquille O’Neal was always a dominant force in the league. The Big Aristotle came into the league towering at 7’1 and weighing 300 lbs but underwent drastic changes during his tenure in the league. Recently, the Los Angeles Lakers legend shared a post on his social media, emphasizing the weight fluctuations he went through.
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Shaquille O’Neal had once revealed how his weight fluctuated with a difference of 130 lbs throughout his NBA career. Shaq came into the league as a seven-footer, weighing around the 285 lbs mark, which was normal for players his size back in the 90s and 2000s.
Shaq on his weight loss on IG pic.twitter.com/KWCMKyK8D6
— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) February 23, 2024
It wasn’t until O’Neal made his way to Los Angeles that his weight started to fluctuate. Initially, the seven-foot center gained 40 lbs, marking his weight to 325 lbs during his first championship year in 2000.
Shaquille O’Neal took it a step further during his second championship year by adding more weight and muscle, clocking in at 345 lbs. But it wasn’t until his final championship year with the Lakers that he got massive.
By his third championship with LA, The Big Shaqtus was a whopping 385 lbs, adding another 40 lbs in the past offseason. Shaquille O’Neal went from 325 lbs in his first championship year to 385 lbs by his third championship.
But despite gaining weight, O’Neal never lost his dominance. In fact, Shaq weighed an insane 415 lbs before his trade to Miami and was still the best center in the NBA. However, when he arrived at the Heat, General Manager Pat Riley wanted him to shed most of his weight.
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Now, from being 415 lbs, the 15-time All-Star indulged himself in army drills and started working out once again to come back down to 325 lbs. The 1992 Rookie of the Year then went on to win his final championship with the Miami Heat.
After his tenure with Miami, Shaquille O’Neal went on to play for various teams before finally hanging up his sneakers. And his weight, after that continued to fluctuate up and down before finally letting go of himself in the latter years of his career.
But despite being slower than he was during his prime, The Big Shaqtus never lost the touch of his dominance even in his twilight years. If it weren’t for injuries, fans would’ve gotten to see a little more of The Diesel in his final years in the league.
How Shaquille O’Neal’s weight fluctuated throughout the years
It has been more than a decade since Shaquille O’Neal retired from the league. Initially, the Hall of Famer let go of his workout routine and regiment as most retired athletes do, leading him to appear morbidly obese in front of the camera.
Eventually, Shaq decided to inculcate a healthy lifestyle once again and he has not stopped ever since. Even at 51 years of age, Shaquille O’Neal last weighed 375 lbs, which may have gone down even further since he last measured himself.
Last year, Shaquille O’Neal opened up about the amount of weight he had gained after retiring from the league. While talking to People Magazine, The Big Aristotle revealed he weighed around 351 lbs last year but wanted to go even further.
“I was getting chubby and couldn’t even walk up the stairs. I didn’t like the way I looked in the mirror. I was like, ‘I’m gonna lose 20’ and then I was trying to lose 20.”
He currently has five-pack abs, aiming to go for the full 12, and is also working towards going back down to 315 to 330 lbs. Kudos to Shaquille O’Neal for wanting to stay healthy even at such an age.
