When it comes to NBA careers, not many have come close to achieving the things Shaquille O’Neal did. Shaq set out wanting to become the most dominant player in the league’s history, and many would agree that he managed it. For 3 seasons during his prime with the Lakers, the entire league was at Shaq’s mercy. He put up absurd numbers and won 3 NBA championships, 3 Finals MVPs, and an MVP during that time.
So when people think of Shaquille O’Neal now, regret is not a word that they can associate with him. He played alongside some of the greatest players ever, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade among them. He played for legendary coaches like Phil Jackson and Pat Riley. He won nearly every award there was to win and wrote his name large into NBA history. But even the greatest have their regrets, things they wish they could have done differently or better.
Shaquille O’Neal Named His 3 Biggest Regrets
The issue with being one of the best can sometimes become that nothing is ever enough. If any person looking in from the outside were to be asked, they would find it hard to point out things Shaq could have done better. But the mindset it takes to become the best means that the things he didn’t do have stayed with Big Diesel as much as the things he achieved. And he named his regrets in a 2015 interview with Graham Bensinger.
“The only three regrets I have right now are missing 5,000 free throws, not passing up Wilt Chamberlain in [career] points, and not being higher on the scoring list,” O’Neal said.” When I got really close to him, I think I needed to average of 10 or 12 points a game to pass him up.
“So when I had the career-ending injury, I was like ‘damn I am not going to pass Wilt.’ so those are my only three regrets playing. I got no other regrets. I got four rings when I only wanted one. I’m good.”
Shaq’s free throws were the biggest problem he faced, so it stands to reason that this is something he wanted to improve. Wilt Chamberlain is remembered as the most dominant player ever, so wanting to pass him sounds about right for Shaq. These are fair regrets for any player to have, but ultimately, there is a lot more that went right about Shaq’s career than went wrong.
