Just a couple of years after an ugly separation from Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal lifted his fourth NBA championship trophy in 2006. He and 24-year-old Dwyane Wade carried the Miami Heat to its first title in what was a huge statement from Shaq. The once indomitable Center proved he could win without Kobe and it was Bryant who needed him more. But before he won the trophy, he wasn’t a fan of another Lakers great, Pat Riley. Known for his strict methodology, by the time Shaq arrived, Riley had already won four championships as the Lakers Head Coach in the 1980s.
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In his 2012 memoir Shaq Uncut: My Story, co-authored by Jackie Macmullan, the 2006 champion touched upon how his resentment towards Pat Riley was quashed after the title win. After winning the championship, the Center felt that he had made a huge point. First, he took a dig at Bryant’s volume shooting and stated, “I had proven I could win anywhere—not just with some shot-happy guard [Bryant] in Los Angeles.”
Then he remembered how during the post-title win celebrations, Pat Riley hugged him and gleefully declared, “We’re back!” The Heat Head Coach then started dancing and this changed Shaq’s perception since Riley was known for keeping a poker face and stern approach amidst all situations.
“As I watched him[Riley] dancing all around, this man who is all about being cool and staying cool and never letting his guard down, I remember thinking, I guess Pat Riley isn’t so bad after all,” expressed Shaquille O’Neal in Shaq Uncut
These words are a significant departure from how the former dominating Center felt about “The Godfather”. During his Heat tenure, the two shared a tenuous relationship. However, as this excerpt rightly suggests, there were moments of exception between them, where the stern demeanor of Pat Riley was dropped, and they treated each other as a lot more than just co-workers.
That said, they had their fair share of issues too.
Shaquille O’Neal blamed his injuries on Pat Riley
For most of his career, it was Shaq’s brute power that intimidated defenses and cleared space. To do that, he needed to latch onto his bulky frame even if there were downsides to having it. His immense physique helped him to fend off serious injuries caused by the ceaseless pressure his body took from all kinds of defenses.
However, Riley had a strict body regiment. He wouldn’t let Shaq retain his weight and wanted him to have more lean muscle. But, as per the big fella, getting lean hurt him more as his body wasn’t able to soak contact like it did before. As a result, the 7’1” Center became more injury-prone.
“Pat forgot to take into account the pounding my body took, day in and day out, going for those rebounds he wanted me to get. I was too much of a power player to take that kind of abuse on that lean of a body. I had more injuries in my time with Miami than anywhere else in my career,” lamented the 3x Finals MVP in Shaq Uncut.
Shaq also resented “The Godfather” having an iron grip over the team. He claimed that everyone on the team was afraid of Riley, and he was the only one who displayed courage against the long-time NBA Head Coach. In his 2012 autobiography, Shaq expressed, “They were all scared of Pat [Riley]. I went in there hoping to give them some life. I wasn’t afraid of anybody—not even the great Pat Riley.”
These testimonies present the perspective of Shaq who believed that the coaching legend made him injury-prone and kept the whole team in tight control. However, when he won the championship with him in 2006, he could also see the humanity in Riley.
