An impressive performance from Shaquille O’Neal in 1989 once caught the eyes of the former Detroit Pistons head coach, Dick Vitale. The center’s endeavors received praise from Vitale, who even backed the New Jersey-born as the number-one pick for the upcoming NBA draft. Despite the declaration, however, Shaq believed he wasn’t ready for the league as revealed in his autobiography, Shaq Uncut.
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The instance occurred when the 7ft 1″ teenager entered the McDonald’s All-American game as a high school graduate. Vitale was “glad-handing” all the other players there but paid little to no attention to Shaq. This infuriated Diesel as he approached the former NBA coach to announce, “Mr. Vitale, I’m Shaquille O’Neal. You might want to remember that name”.
Following this, the teenager walked the talk as in his initial possession of the game, he “threw it down for a dunk”. The anger continued to build within Shaq as he attempted to channel it by dominating his opponents on the court. Conrad McRae, then-New York City high school legend, became one of his targets as the center blocked his shot on one end before performing a coast-to-coast dunk.
The Big Aristotole’s efforts resulted in an MVP award on the night as “Vitale went off the deep end”. “If this Shaquille O’Neal kid decides to go pro, he’ll be the number one pick,” the former Pistons head coach declared. Thus, Shaq eventually received the recognition he innately desired before admitting to reality. “I knew, deep down, I wasn’t ready for the NBA yet,” he revealed while deciding to wait for his moment.
So, even as a teenager, his ability to remain composed amidst success displayed his character as a player. The young Shaq never let the outcomes get to his head while continuously working on his shortcomings. At the same time, it showcased his dominance even as a high school graduate, as a former NBA coach deemed him ready for the league.
The dominance of Shaquille O’Neal in the college years
Looking back, it’s fair to say that the 4x champion’s defining decision paid immense dividends. His three following years of college at LSU prepared him for future challenges as Shaq gained confidence as an individual. He averaged 21.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks per game during his time in Louisiana.
While shooting 61% from the field, Shaq led the NCAA circuit in rebounding in 1991 and in blocks in 1992. In the process, he won multiple accolades such as Associated Press Player of the Year and UPI Player of the Year. His team went a stellar 64-29 during that period, further proving his dominance as a college basketball player. Eventually, O’Neal entered the draft in 1992 when the Orlando Magic made Vitale’s prediction come true by selecting him as the 1st overall pick.
Since then, he never had to look back as he cemented his spot as arguably the most dominant NBA player ever. Winning one MVP and three Finals MVP awards, the 15x All-Star redefined the game during his time in the league.
