Shaquille O’Neal Teams: What Teams Has ‘The Big Aristotle’ Played On During His 19-Year Career?

What teams has Shaquille O’Neal been a part of during his 19-year career in the NBA? 

Shaquille O’Neal has played for a slew of teams during his career in the NBA from 1992-2011. During that 19-year stretch, he would go on to win 4 championships, 3 Finals MVPs, a regular season MVP, and countless All-NBA and All-Star selections. 

Where it all started for Shaq coming out of LSU however was with the Orlando Magic. It had only been a couple of year since the Magic had been added as an expansion team in the league and they had landed the number one overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. 

From the get-go, it was clear that ‘The Big Aristotle’ was going to be the first man off the board. The Magic selected him and he would play for them for 4 seasons, making the NBA Finals in 1995 against the Houston Rockets.

Also read: “Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal Weren’t Vibing”: Vince Carter Compares Draymond Green-Jordan Poole Fight to Lakers’ Most Famous Feud

What teams has Shaquille O’Neal played for during his career? 

Aside from the Orlando Magic, Shaquille O’Neal has suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Boston Celtics. His career would end on the Celts after suffering an Achilles injury that forced him into retirement after 19 seasons in the NBA. 

Shaq has played for 6 teams in the NBA. His most successful outing would undoubtedly be with the Lakers, who he played 8 consecutive seasons for from 1996-97 to 2003-04. He would 3-peat with them from 2000-02 and win FMVP in all 3 of those seasons. 

After being traded from the Lakers due to internal turmoil between him and Kobe Bryant, he found his way to the Miami Heat. He would win another championship, making it his 4th and final in 2006 alongside Dwyane Wade. 

Shaq’s journey following his Miami stint 

The Suns would acquire O’Neal via trade in February of 2008 after Steve Kerr, the GM of the Suns back then, pushed for the trade to happen. Looking back at it, he admits that trading for a near 36-year-old Shaq wasn’t the brightest idea. 

After two and a half seasons with the Suns, he would get moved to the Cleveland Cavaliers going into what would be LeBron James’s final season with them. 

In the summer of 2010, he would sign a two year deal with the Celtics but would only play a single season due to an inflamed Achilles. He would retire in 2011 after 19 seasons.

Also read: “I Got Big on the Phone”: Shaquille O’Neal, Whose Album Reached Platinum Status, Once Recorded a Rap Song With the Notorious B.I.G.

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

Read More