Shaquille O’Neal: Awards And Accolades Per Season

In today’s league, we are watching the likes of Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid change the center positions. These two players are shooting from outside and have the ability to finish around the rim. It didn’t always use to be like this. Centers weren’t always the triple-double masters that Jokic brings every night. Centers were asked to dominate the paint and score inside. The league has changed from the 90s and 2000s. The best to ever finish during that time was the famous Los Angeles Lakers great.

Shaquille O’Neal remains one of the most accomplished players ever. He has a resume to be a top-10 player in NBA history. He was someone that could always finish inside. It took special defensive players to slow him down and even those players had a tough time. O’Neal will always be remembered for his role in helping lead the Lakers to a three-peat. Even with that, his accomplishments with the Magic, Lakers, Heat, and Suns are still impressive. Don’t worry, Shaq. We won’t ever forget you.

These are O’Neal’s accomplishments from his stoic career.

1992-93 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: All-Star, Rookie Of The Year, All-Rookie First Team

Stats: 23.4 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.7 SPG, 3.5 BPG

The Orlando Magic used the No. 1 overall draft pick in 1992 to snag O’Neal, and he delivered. O’Neal was the top rookie after averaging numbers that NBA veterans wish to average in one season. With O’neal in the fold, the Magic quickly leaped and played better basketball, finishing 41-41 on the season.

At the All-Star break, O’Neal was voted a starter as a rookie, which was the first time since Michael Jordan in 1985 that had happened. After leading the Magic to 20 more wins than the previous season, O’Neal was named Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, the team missed out on the playoffs.

1993-94 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: All-Star, All-NBA Third Team

Stats: 29.3 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.9 BPG

Due to tensions with the coaching staff, the Magic moved on to a new coach. That inspired O’Neal to play better in his second season. He contended with San Antonio Spurs legend David Robinson for the scoring title but came up just short. Despite finishing second, O’Neal averaged a stellar line to land him on the All-NBA Team for the first time in his career.

He led the league in field-goal percentage. O’Neal recorded a game with 15 blocks, which was also the first triple-double of his career. O’Neal played his part in leading the Magic to the playoffs after a 52-win season. The Magic were defeated by the Pacers in the first round.

1994-95 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: All-Star, All-NBA Second Team, Scoring Champion

Stats: 29.3 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.4 BPG

O’Neal continued to climb in the player rankings. After averaging 29.3 points per game, O’Neal won the scoring title. With 11.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks as well, O’Neal finished second in the MVP voting to David Robinson. He made his first All-NBA Second Team appearance with the stat line, which included helping the Magic win the Atlantic Division.

The Magic didn’t stop there. The team won their first playoff series in franchise history. The season was capped off by making the NBA Finals, which included a win over Michael Jordan’s Bulls in the second round. However, Hakeem Olajuwon bested O’Neal in the Finals to help the Rockets win their second straight championship.

1995-96 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: All-Star, All-NBA Third Team

Stats: 26.6 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.1 BPG

As long as O’Neal stayed in Orlando, the team was a fixture to come out of the East. The unfortunate part about that was O’Neal missing 28 games due to injuries. With that said, the Magic made the playoffs and were seen as the top contender with the Bulls to come out of the East. The Bulls had won 72 games that season, setting an NBA record for wins. Even so, the Magic remained a talked-about team.

That was because O’Neal continued to play like an All-Star and All-NBA player. He pushed past the injuries to help the Magic win 60 games and the No. 2 seed. The team played the Bulls in the Conference Finals but was defeated. After the season, O’Neal left the Magic for the Lakers.

1996-97 NBA Season

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI8bDq3x7Fg

Accolades And Awards: All-Star, All-NBA Third Team

Stats: 26.2 PPG, 12.5 RPG 3.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.9 BPG

After completing a seven-year deal with the Lakers, O’Neal showed Los Angeles why he was worth the money. O’Neal was quickly the face of the team, which was huge because the team lacked a true identity since Magic Johnson’s retirement.

It didn’t take long for the center to show off his abilities. Shaquille O’Neal had a very good season averaging 26.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game. Even though O’Neal missed 30 games due to injuries, the Lakers were the fourth-best team in the West. After they beat the Portland Trail Blazers 3-1 in the First Round, the Lakers lost against the Utah Jazz 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals. 

Shaq was also battling criticism for leaving the small-market Magic for the larger-market Lakers. In the end, O’Neal’s star power was rising, and the patience was going to pay off eventually.

1997-98 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: All-Star, All-NBA First Team

Stats: 28.3 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.4 BPG

With O’Neal back in the lineup, the Lakers played like the team they thought they were going to be the season before. A healthy O’Neal in the lineup meant the Lakers were going to finish with 61 wins and a Pacific Division title. O’Neal also made his first All-NBA First Team. With a league-best in field-goal shooting, combined with a young up-and-coming Kobe Bryant, the Lakers were in the making of putting together a title team.

That title would not come this season, though. The team fell to the Jazz in four games in the Conference Finals. The Lakers just missed out on the “Last Dance” Bulls. Shaq and Kobe against Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman would have been must-watch television. However, the Lakers’ time was coming soon.

1998-99 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: All-NBA Second Team

Stats: 26.3 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.7 BPG

The season saw some adversity. Del Harris was fired, and Kurt Rambis took over but impressed everyone by leading the team to a 31-19 record. The Lakers also made a deal to include Glen Rice. The lockout didn’t help anything either, but it didn’t stop O’Neal from averaging a strong double-double.

This season should make fans bitter about the lack of an All-Star Game. O’Neal was a 15-time All-Star in his career. With the exception of the 2009 selection, if there was an All-Star Game in 1999, O’Neal would have been a 15-time consecutive All-Star selection. Instead, he has a gap year. Many may not notice it, but having 15 consecutive nods would sound better.

1999-00 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: NBA Champion, Finals MVP, MVP Award, All-Star, All-Star Game MVP, All-NBA First Team, All-Defensive Second Team, Scoring Champion

Stats: 29.7 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 3.0 BPG

After years of waiting in the shadows, O’Neal finally lived up to the expectations that many placed on him. O’Neal left the Magic because he wanted the larger market, and he believed he could win a title in Los Angeles. That happened by the end of this season when O’Neal pulled off the trifecta of winning the MVP Award, Finals MVP, and All-Star Game MVP.

On his birthday, O’Neal accomplished another rare feat. With 61 points and no 3-point field goals, it remains the last recorded day with the nature of that stat line. The only thing that could have made this season better is if O’Neal was voted a unanimous MVP. He was one vote short. With that said, he became a champion and was named the best player in the Finals after averaging 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in the series.

2000-01 NBA Season

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9VxhjAAUDk

Accolades And Awards: NBA Champion, Finals MVP, All-Star, All-NBA First Team, All-Defensive Second Team

Stats: 28.7 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.8 BPG

The accomplishments didn’t stop there. The Lakers ran it back in 2001 because, frankly, they had the best player in the world. The parts around O’Neal played their part, but he remained the best overall center in the league. O’Neal remained a top two-way player in this league, as he notched his second All-Defensive Award, but his offense continued to shine as he led the league in shooting once again.

The NBA Finals had a great storyline. Allen Iverson cost O’Neal the unanimous vote in 2000. Iverson won the MVP in 2001 and led his 76ers to the Finals. The battle of two MVPs resulted in the player that likely should have been named unanimous in 2000. O’Neal won his second straight Finals MVP after averaging 33.0 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in the series.

2001-02 NBA Season

Accolades and Awards: NBA Champion, Finals MVP, All-Star, All-NBA First Team

Stats: 27.2 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.0 BPG

The last recorded three-peat has come on the heels of the last Finals MVP to win three consecutive awards. This accomplishment goes beyond saying, especially when you have a player like four-time winner LeBron James missing out on the three-peat himself in 2014. O’Neal had a great regular season and battled through a lingering toe issue.

The playoffs saw the Lakers fight through some tough adversity. That included a controversial series against the Kings in the Conference Finals, which remains heavily criticized for officiating in Game 6. Officials were accused of “fixing” the game to keep the Lakers’ three-peat hopes alive. Despite the criticism, the Lakers moved past it to win their third straight title. O’Neal won his third straight Finals MVP when he averaged 36.3 points and 12.3 rebounds in the four-game sweep over the Nets.

2002-03 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: All-Star, All-NBA First Team, All-Defensive Second Team

Stats: 27.5 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.4 BPG

We hadn’t seen four consecutive championships since the days of the Celtics, but the Lakers were going to try. O’Neal missed 12 games to start the year after getting surgery, and the Lakers started 11-19 to the season. The team bounced back to finish the year as the five seed in the playoffs.

It remains the last time that O’Neal received an All-Defensive Award. Despite the time missed, O’Neal was named All-NBA First Team. The season did not end with championship standards as the team was bounced by the Spurs in the second round.

2003-04 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: All-Star, All-Star Game MVP, All-NBA First Team

Stats: 21.5 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.3 BPG

The season was marred by reports that O’Neal was not getting along with Kobe Bryant. The relationship seemed to be strained, but O’Neal continued to play at a high level. O’Neal won the All-Star Game MVP Award after scoring 24 points and 11 rebounds off of the bench in the Western Conference 136-132 win.

The Lakers returned to the NBA Finals after a gap year in 2003. The team could not win their fourth title in five years, though. The underrated Pistons shocked the world and beat the Lakers 4-1. Shaquille O’Neal averaged 26.6 points and 10.8 rebounds in his last NBA Finals as a Laker. All in all, it wrapped up a great career for O’Neal in Los Angeles when the team decided to trade him to the Heat.

2004-05 NBA Season

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQqjvCdQrFE

Accolades And Awards: All-Star, All-NBA First Team

Stats: 22.9 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.3 BPG

Trading an All-NBA First Team player, who made four NBA Finals appearances in five years, had all the hype you would have thought. O’Neal had the accomplishments to back it up, but he remained a top player in the league. That is why he landed another All-NBA First Team nod and All-Star appearance. O’Neal even promised the Heat crowd that he would bring a championship to Miami.

O’Neal was motivated to do so because he wanted to prove he could do it before Bryant, who was the prime reason that O’Neal was traded. With a new up-and-coming star in Dwyane Wade, the Heat nearly made the NBA Finals in his first season. However, the Pistons overcame the Heat in the Conference Finals. O’Neal also just came up short in the MVP race as well, finishing second in that voting.

2005-06 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: NBA Champion, All-Star, All-NBA First Team

Stats: 20.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.8 BPG

A promise was delivered this season. O’Neal remained dominant despite missing out on a double-double. Adversity was overcome as O’Neal battled through an ankle injury, which cost O’Neal 18 games in the regular season. With a new coach in Pat Riley, O’Neal came back dominant as he made the All-NBA First Team.

In the playoffs, O’Neal played more of a complementary role to Wade. O’Neal averaged 13.7 points, and 10.2 rebounds as the Heat won the 2006 championship after losing the first two games of the Finals. O’Neal took this accomplishment personally as it meant he owned more championships than his former Laker teammate Kobe Bryant.

2006-07 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: All-Star

Stats: 17.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.2 SPG, 1.4 BPG

Age and injuries were starting to pile on. O’Neal missed 35 games during the regular season because of his left knee. It required surgery, and the Heat’s play tanked because of it. The Heat made the playoffs but became the first champion to be swept in the first round.

O’Neal was voted to the All-Star Game, but his overall play was starting to decline. His points and rebounds were some of his lowest in years. Midway through his 30s, some had to wonder if this was his last All-Star appearance.

2007-08 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: None

Stats: 13.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.4 BPG

Up to date, this had to be one of the hardest seasons for O’Neal ever. For the first time in his career, outside of the lockout, he was not selected for the All-Star Game. O’Neal’s numbers were declining, he was developing a history of injuries, and the Heat flat-out stunk. The Heat were 9-37 on the year and decided to trade O’Neal to the Suns for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.

With the Suns, O’Neal looked like he was out on a mission to prove the world wrong. In 28 games, he averaged 12.9 points and 10.6 rebounds. The Suns nearly made a run in the playoffs with O’Neal in the lineup. However, Tim Duncan and the Spurs overpowered the Suns to a five-game series win in the first round.

2008-09 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: All-Star, All-Star Game MVP, All-NBA Third Team

Stats: 17.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.4 BPG

After being written off, O’Neal was back with a vengeance. Former MVPs Steve Nash and O’Neal turned out to be a pretty solid duo. O’Neal returned to the All-Star Game and shared the MVP award with Kobe Bryant. The moment might have been his best-unwritten accomplishment because it appeared that the two put the feud behind them.

O’Neal finished the regular season All-NBA Third Team but did not participate in the playoffs. The loss of O’Neal crushed the Suns’ chances of making a run to the Finals. It was also the first time since his rookie season that O’Neal did not play in the playoffs.

2009-10 NBA Season

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfMCdBRyxJg

Accolades And Awards: None

Stats: 12.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.3 SPG, 1.2 BPG

The final two seasons did not yield many accomplishments. The Suns traded O’Neal to help cut costs, and he was traded to the Cavaliers. With Cleveland, O’Neal joined as an immediate contender as LeBron James was trying to help lead the Cavaliers to a championship. With a heavy emphasis on James either winning or leaving, O’Neal got to enjoy the run of a championship team.

However, injuries hit O’Neal hard. On March 1st, O’Neal had surgery on his right thumb and it cost him the rest of the regular season. With five weeks off, O’Neal was not able to ramp up and help the team in the playoffs. O’Neal returned to the team in the second round against the Celtics, but Boston’s big three overwhelmed Cleveland. A healthy Shaq might have helped Cleveland win a title and keep LeBron with the team for years to come. Instead, we will never know.

2010-11 NBA Season

Accolades And Awards: None

Stats: 9.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.1 BPG

With Kobe Bryant winning his fifth championship in 2010, Bryant owned more rings than his former teammate. That motivated Shaq enough to come back one last time. The Celtics offered an opportunity for O’Neal to play in Boston. O’Neal took the minimum to contend for a fifth title.

The Cinderella end of his career was not what he planned. Injuries to his knee, hip, and Achilles killed his chances of contributing at a high level. O’Neal helped the Celtics to a 19-3 record when he played in 20 minutes or more. However, he was not able to stay healthy consistently enough. When the Celtics lost in the second round of the playoffs, O’Neal retired from the league.

We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.

Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.

Next

Kobe Bryant’s Best Accomplishments Per Season: The Black Mamba Won Everything With The Los Angeles Lakers