Shaquille O’Neal is remembered for his dominance during the time he played in the NBA. He was someone that dominated the opposition with his size, strength, and ferocious tenacity. But sometimes, people forget how skilled Shaq was as well.
During his early years in Orlando, Shaquille O’Neal was an All-Star and led his team to the NBA Finals in 1995. In 1996, his team lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the Conference Finals. But even though MJ would get the last laugh, Shaq had an iconic moment against him during warmups before the 1996 All-Star Game.
The two went against one another in warm-up uniforms, and Shaquille O’Neal took a jump shot the first time they went at it and made it. He then guarded Michael Jordan, who also tried a jump shot that rimmed out. That’s when Shaquille O’Neal turned up the heat. As MJ pressed into him and defended him, Shaq hit a clean Dream Shake to completely lose him and buried the bucket.
The Dream Shake was Hakeem Olajuwon’s move, but Shaquille O’Neal had mastered it as well. His footwork in the post was as good as any other big man that ever played the game, and he showed it off in 1996 against the GOAT. The Big Diesel may have lost against Jordan and Olajuwon in the biggest moments early in his career, but he learned from it and went on to win four championships in the 2000s.
Shaquille O’Neal Almost Played 1-On-1 Against Hakeem Olajuwon In 1995
The idea of going up against Shaquille O’Neal in a 1-on-1 matchup would be daunting for most NBA players in history. But Hakeem Olajuwon is one of the few who would be able to feel confident doing it. And in 1995, the two almost went at it for $1 million. However, injuries and allegedly David Stern’s involvement stopped it from happening. Shaq might have found himself on the receiving end of a Dream Shake if it had happened.
Because he only started winning with the Los Angeles Lakers, many forget how good Shaquille O’Neal was on the Orlando Magic. In four seasons with the team, he averaged 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game. He took on Michael Jordan’s Bulls in 1995 and beat them in the playoffs, although MJ was still getting back from retirement. O’Neal can be a bit self-effacing from time to time, but he was a problem throughout his entire career.
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