{"id":1516557,"date":"2022-06-23T16:49:49","date_gmt":"2022-06-23T20:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1516557"},"modified":"2022-06-23T16:51:27","modified_gmt":"2022-06-23T20:51:27","slug":"shaquille-oneal-left-orlando-magic-because-billboard-outside-his-moms-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/shaquille-oneal-left-orlando-magic-because-billboard-outside-his-moms-office\/","title":{"rendered":"Shaquille O'Neal Left the Orlando Magic Because of a Billboard Outside His Mom's Office"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the summer of 1996, a 23-year-old Shaquille O'Neal<\/a> was already a four-time All-Star. He and 24-year-old Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway<\/a> were leading the Orlando Magic<\/a> to become a perennial championship contender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Shaq's rookie deal ended, all the team had to do to keep its superstar in place was give him a massive contract extension. Instead, the team low-balled him, the city of Orlando turned on him, and O'Neal ended up a Los Angeles Laker<\/a>, changing NBA history forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Orlando Magic picked Shaquille O'Neal No. 1 overall in 1992, and he immediately became a star<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Orlando
Shaquille O'Neal | TONY RANZE\/AFP via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At 7-foot-1 and over 300 pounds, LSU's Shaquille O'Neal<\/a> was already one of the most physically dominating forces in basketball history before he ever stepped on an NBA court. That's why the Orlando Magic selected him No. 1 overall in the 1992 NBA Draft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Magic front office was right to take him over more established college stars like Duke's Christian Laettner<\/a> and Georgetown's Alonzo Mourning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shaq was a star from Day 1 in the NBA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He averaged 23.4 points and a career-high 13.9 rebounds in his first season, on his way to the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. While the Magic finished .500 in 1992-93, Shaq's dominance would start to help the team the following season. That's when he teamed up with Penny Hardaway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, Shaq and Penny led Orlando to the playoffs in 1994, the NBA Finals in 1995, and the Eastern Conference Finals in 1996. In those three postseason years, O'Neal averaged 28.4 points and 11.8 rebounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O'Neal entered the 1996 offseason intending to re-sign with the Magic. That's when things went horribly wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Magic dropped the ball on Shaq's extension, but the city of Orlando helped drive him out, too<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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"At times, I thought, \u2018Why am I giving away all this information that he\u2019s going to use right against me?\u2019" Michael Jordan couldn\u2019t help but share his secrets with a young Kobe Bryant.

Just one part of a packed \u2018Icons Club\u2019 Episode 7. https:\/\/t.co\/vGYI1SCA2i<\/a><\/p>— The Ringer (@ringer) April 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>