After winning three consecutive championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal moved to the Eastern Conference to join the Miami Heat in 2004. At that time, Pat Riley still coached the Heat, and players often described him as a strong and intimidating personality. In fact, the only person to have ever scared Heat legend Udonis Haslem was the great Pat Riley.
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Though O’Neal had heard tales of a tense environment at the Heat locker room because of this, he wasn’t afraid of a fresh start despite the strong personality of coach Riley. In his 2012 autobiography, Shaq Uncut, Diesel wrote how he hoped to give the Heat players a life and wasn’t afraid of the coach. Moreover, he describes his confidence in entering the Heat’s squad as a veteran championship winner,
“I don’t want to call Miami a jail, but everyone was walking around on eggshells. 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.”
Shaquille O’Neal had witnessed the rise of Dwyane Wade as a rookie and believed he was the best player to help him win another championship. In D-Wade, Shaq saw glimpses of Kobe Bryant and just required guidance and space from a veteran like him to elevate himself to the next level.
The Big Aristotle even considered joining Vince Carter to be the next piece of the puzzle in helping him win further championships. However, Shaq wasn’t keen on joining the Toronto Raptors and chose Miami as his ultimate destination after Los Angeles.
Greatly praising Dwyane Wade in his book, O’Neal wrote, “I was watching DWade on television one day, and I said, ‘This kid could be special. He just needs somebody out there to give him some more room.’ So, that’s what I did—I gave him space on that court to operate, to do his thing.”
Shaq did live up to his words and won a championship with Dwyane Wade in his second season with the Heat. Despite nearing the end of his prime, the Miami Heat Shaq was still putting in level performances and was runners-up for the coveted title in his first season at the Heat. After winning a championship in 2006, Shaq’s career was plagued with injuries, forcing him to jump several teams, eventually retiring as a Celtic in 2011.
Shaquille O’Neal was the main man behind Dwyane Wade’s phenomenal rise early in his career
Shaquille O’Neal had understood the abilities and potential that young Dwyane Wade held for the Heat. However, the Big Man believed that Wade hadn’t realized his potential and needed adequate mentorship and push from a powerful personality like himself on the court.
“Dwyane Wade reminds me of a superhero movie where a kid grows up, and he does all these weird things, and he does not know he has the power until he meets a powerful figure, and they tell him, ‘Hey, you just like me,'” said the 4x champion in a video, commemorating Dwyane Wade during NBA’s 75th anniversary.
The Diesel had placed enough trust and support in young Dwyane Wade that allowed ‘The Flash’ to assert himself and later create a Heat dynasty years after Shaq’s departure. It would be unfair to Shaq if Dwyane Wade denied the Big Man’s role in developing and forming his stardom in the league.
In 2016, Wade put up an affectionate Instagram post of himself and Shaq, acknowledging the role of O’Neal in his early rise to success. In his caption, Wade thanked Shaq for being a great teammate, leader, and better friend during their tenure at Miami.
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Had there been no Shaq, perhaps the Heat would have had to wait another six years for their first championship, with a team fielding the Big 3: LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade.
