Shaquille O’Neal is a massive man. He was one of the NBA’s most physically dominant players in the league, scaring both players and fans with his body.
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The LA legend was the catalyst of the Lakers dynasty in the 2000s. He was the star of a team that won three titles in a row, forming a dynamic duo with Kobe Bryant.
There was nobody who could stop Shaq back in the day. He was the most dominant physical force to have ever played basketball, and he completely owned the paint.
Shaq was a menace on both sides of the ball. He could control the paint with his size, deterring anyone who dared to enter. We haven’t seen anyone dominant the inside game quite like Shaq since his glory days. Back then, he was an absolute beast to watch.
Smits comes over to double on Kobe off O’Neal’s pick. This leads to an open look for Horry for 3, which he makes. pic.twitter.com/3BhuV6a3x5
— KobeFiles (@KobesFiles) June 19, 2022
Shaquille O’Neal dived into the stands like Dennis Rodman once
If you’ve ever seen an NBA player dive into the stands, know that it’s really scary for the fans being targeted. It’s a great hustle moment, and there are some great saves at times, but it’s still incredibly scary. It can be scary for the players too.
In 1997, Dennis Rodman once literally flung his body out to save a basketball from going out of bounds. It made for an incredible picture too.
“@AmazingChiPhoto: Dennis Rodman goes all out to save the ball, perfectly horizontal, 1997. pic.twitter.com/gECYh6asKf“hustle
— Aladdin (@TazzTheChosen) December 12, 2013
Shaq once did that too, except, he went way deeper into the stands. Shaq is 7’1″ and weighs somewhere between 315 to 345 pounds. He is massive.
NBA fans already knew that, but they got an up close and personal encounter with Shaq once when he played for the Phoenix Suns. Just take a look at this clip:
The commentators were absolutely right. Someone could have been seriously injured with such a big man coming in at such a high speed. However, luckily, all was good, and it made for another great Shaq moment.