Shaquille O’Neal was one of those generational draft picks that surface in a decade or so. Orlando Magic was fortunate enough to select him in the 1992 NBA draft. So when his request for a $115,000,000 extension at the end of his contract led to a poll, he was unhappy. According to the book ‘Shaq Uncut: My Story‘, Shaq’s mother – Lucille O’Neal, also was concerned and reached out to understand his desire.
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Shaq had established himself as a dominant force in the league, and when Orlando did not extend his contract, everyone was surprised. This led to him leaving the team as a free agent. He would win multiple championships in his career and get the desired contract proving his worth to his mother.
Shaquille O’Neal’s mother felt he was being greedy
In 1992, Shaquille O’Neal signed a four-year deal with the Orlando Magic worth $17,400,000. Towards the end of his contract, he requested an extension worth $115,000,000 over seven years. This demand led to a lot of negative publicity against Shaq, and a poll was released by the Orlando Sentinel asking the public for their opinion. The results did not sit well with the big man, with 91% saying he was not worth the money.
His mother was also unhappy with all the negative comments being floated in the media against his son and decided to check with her son. She wanted to understand if her son’s desires were getting the best of him. As mentioned in the book, Lucille rang up Shaq and expressed her concerns. Here is an excerpt from the book:
“My mother was very upset by all the negative publicity. She called me up one day and said, “Are you being a little greedy, son?” I told her, “Nope, there are guys out there getting $100 million, and I’m better, so I need $120 million.” She said, “Well, okay, I won’t tell you how to do your business, but I was just wondering. That sounds like so much money.”
The big man would prove his worth by winning four championships in his career. This would leave the Orlando Magic contemplating their decision and regretting letting the most dominant player in the league walk for nothing. Shaq would join the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency and get the contract he hoped for.
Shaquille O’Neal signs with the Los Angeles Lakers
With Orlando Magic refusing to pay, Shaquille O’Neal joined the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal worth $121,000,000 over seven years. Unlike his Orlando counterpart, the Lakers General Manager – Jerry West, knew exactly what the center was worth. This deal would give birth to the greatest duo to play the game.
Teaming up with Kobe Bryant, Shaq went on to win three consecutive NBA championships from 2000-2002. He would also become one of the only players to win three-consecutive NBA Finals MVPs. The duo dominated the game with their style of play and chemistry. However, the chemistry would not last long, and Shaq would eventually leave the organization. He would win one more ring in his career before calling it quits.
