Shaquille O'Neal is considered as one of the most dominant centers to ever play in the NBA. Shaquille O'Neal grew up in the rough neighborhoods of Newark, New Jersey and credits basketball and The Boys and Girls Club for keeping him off the streets and out of trouble. After leaving the states for a few years due to his father's work in the Army, Shaq began playing basketball for Robert G. Cole High School at the age of 16. In the two years he was there he led the team to a 68-1 record and a state championship his senior year. In his 1989 season O'Neal set a state record with 791 rebounds. 

After a dominant high school career Shaq would move on to play at LSU for three years. In those three years he was a two time All-American (1991,1992), two time SEC Player of the Year (1991,1992), and NCAA Player of the Year in 1991. In 1991 he led NCAA in rebounds then in the following year he led all players in blocks. LSU would later retire his jersey. 

Shaquille O'Neal was picked number one overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic where he spent four seasons. In his first season O'Neal earned the Rookie of the Year Award averaging 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks and was the first rookie since Michael Jordan to be named an All-Star. In his second year O'Neal was once again an all star and took the magic to the franchise's first playoff appeareance. Then to the NBA Finals in his third year. 

In 1996 Shaquille would sign as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996-2004 where he continued his Hall of Fame career. O'Neil, alongside Kobe Bryant, led the Lakers to a playoff appearance from 1999-2004 and won three consecutive NBA Championships from 2000-2002. With those three titles he also earned three Finals MVP awards and was the 2000 regular season MVP. In 2004 Shaquille was traded to the Miami Heat where he continued to be an All-Star and would win his fourth NBA Championship in 2006. In the middle of the 2007-2008 season O'Neal was traded to the Phoenix suns and played for them the following year. O'Neil would spend his last two years in Cleveland then in Boston before retiring after the 2011 season. In 19 seasons he was named an All-Star 15 times. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2016 and had his jersey retired by the Lakers and Heat. 

Outside of his playing career O'Neil has also earned multiple Emmys for his work on TNT's Inside the NBA.