#33 Shaquille O'Neal Season 2023-24

NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME (2016)
COLLEGE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME (2014)
LSU ALL-CENTURY TEAM MEMBER (2009)
JERSEY NO. 33 RETIRED AT LSU (2000)
LSU ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME (2000)

Shaquille O’Neal brought LSU to new heights during his three years with the Tigers and the 7-1 center became a national celebrity in the days of saturation coverage of basketball by the media. But he earned his celebrity status with great play and an intimidation factor that made him the envy of coaches throughout the country.

O’Neal’s College Records and Highlights:

• Two-time consensus Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and first-team All-American, 1991-1992. Most Valuable Player on SEC Coaches Defensive Team, 1991-1992.
• National Player of the Year as chosen by the Associated Press (Rupp Award), United Press International, L. A. Gear and Sports Illustrated, 1991. Winner of the Tanqueray World Amateur Athlete of the Year Award, 1991.
• Southeastern Conference Athlete of the Year, 1991-1992. National Player of the Year as chosen by L. A. Gear, 1992 and runner-up for the Naismith Award and the John Wooden Award, 1992.
• Set SEC record for most blocks in a season three consecutive years (115-1990, 140-1991, 157-1992). Set SEC record for career blocks with 412. Blocked five or more shots in a game 45 times in 90 career games.
• Set SEC single game record with 12 blocks against Loyola Marymount in Feb. 1990. Blocked 11 shots against Brigham Young in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, setting a then-tournament standard for a single game, 1992.
• Averaged a national sophomore-record 5.0 blocked shots a game, 1991. National leader in blocked shots (5.2 average), 1992.
• National leader in rebounding (14.7 average), 1991. Second nationally in rebounding (14.0 average), 1992.
• First player to lead the Southeastern Conference in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and blocked shots in the same season, 1991. Led SEC in rebounding, field goal percentage, blocked shots and second in scoring, 1992. First player to lead the SEC in rebounding three straight seasons since Charles Barkley of Auburn, 1982-84.
• Finished with 1,217 rebounds, seventh all-time in the Southeastern Conference, second all-time at LSU.
• Finished with 1,941 points, fourth all-time at LSU behind only Pete Maravich (3,667-1967-70), Durand Macklin (2,080-1976-78; 79-81) and Howard Carter (1,942-1979-83).
• Career field goal percentage of 61.0 percent is second all-time at LSU and in the SEC (minimum 1,000 attempts).
• Had six career triple-doubles (points, rebounds and blocks in same game).
• Was the third LSU player (Pete Maravich and Chris Jackson) to have at least two 700-plus point seasons at LSU.
• Was the first LSU player to record back-to-back 400-plus rebound seasons.

POST LSU CAREER
Took correspondence courses to earn his bachelor’s degree from LSU’s College of Arts and Sciences in general studies on Dec. 14, 2000 … Became the fourth LSU athlete to have his number retired (No. 20 Billy Cannon, No. 23 Pete Maravich, No. 55 Bob Pettit) on Dec. 16, 2000 … In 1996, won a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic Basketball team in the Atlanta games … Won a gold medal at the 1994 World Championships in Toronto … Has released five rap albums, “Shaq Diesel,” “Shaq Fu: Da Return,” “You Can’t Stop the Reign,” “Respect” and a greatest hits album … Starred in the movie “Kazaam,” appeared in the movie “Blue Chips” and has a cameo appearance in the movie “He Got Game” … Owns a record label and clothing line entitled “TWIsM.”

NBA CAREER, courtesy of NBA.com (updated: 1992 through 2006)
After leaving LSU in April 1992, he was the number-one pick of the National Basketball Association Draft by the Orlando Magic and signed a multi-year contract estimated at over $40 million.  In 1996, as a free agent, he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers and following the 2004 season was traded to the Miami Heat. He was then traded again in 2008 to the Phoenix Suns, where he played until the 2009-10 season. O’Neal’s final two seasons in the league were spent in Cleveland and then Boston. He announced his retirement from the NBA on June 1, 2011.

O’Neal’s NBA career included four NBA Championships (three consecutive with the Lakers from 2000-02, and one with the Heat in 2006), one NBA MVP (2000 with the Lakers), three NBA Finals MVP’s (2000-2002, all with the Lakers), 15 NBA All-Star selections and a Rookie of the Year award (1993 with the Orlando Magic). Along with Bob Pettit and Pete Maravich, he was one of three former LSU Tigers named to the NBA’s 50 greatest players in 1997.

O’Neal posted NBA career averages of 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. In 1,207 regular-season games, scored 28,596 points, had 13,099 rebounds and 2,832 blocked shots in his NBA career. He played in 216 playoff games with averages of 24.3 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

He is the only player in league history to average 20 points and 10 rebounds per game in 13 seasons. O’Neal’s career bests were 61 points (3/6/2000 vs. LA Clippers); 28 rebounds (at New Jersey Nets, 11/20/1993); 10 assists (vs. Toronto Raptors, 4/11/2006); and 15 blocks (at New Jersey Nets, 11/20/93).

1992 NBA DRAFT
Became the first LSU men’s basketball player to be selected as the first overall pick of the NBA Draft by Orlando Magic … Joined “Pistol” Pete Maravich (No. 3 by Atlanta Hawks, 1970), Howard Carter (No. 15 by Denver Nuggets, 1983), Jerry Reynolds (No. 22 by Milwaukee Bucks, 1985), John Williams (No. 12 by Washington Bullets, 1986), Chris Jackson (No. 3 by Denver Nuggets, 1990) and Stanley Roberts (No. 23 by Orlando Magic, 1991) as LSU’s all-time NBA first-round picks (through 1992) … Later, Geert Hammink (No. 26 by Orlando Magic, 1993) and Stromile Swift (No. 2 by Vancouver Grizzlies, 2000) were selected in the first round.

JUNIOR SEASON (1991-92)
LSU center Shaquille O’Neal was named the SEC Player of the Year for the second-straight time and was named National Player of the Year by L.A. Gear … Was the runner-up for both the Naismith National Player of the Year award and the John Wooden Award … A consensus First-Team All-American by the AP, UPI, NABC/Kodak, United States Basketball Writers Association, Basketball Weekly and Basketball Times … A unanimous selection to both the AP and Coaches’ All-SEC Teams … For the second-straight season, he was named the MVP on the Coaches’ All-SEC Defensive Team and the SEC Athlete of the Year … Led the Tigers to their ninth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance … Was the nation’s leading shot blocker, averaging 5.23 blocks per game … Ranked second in the nation in rebounding at 14.0 per game … Along with leading the SEC in blocked shots and rebounds for the third-straight season, he led the league for the second-straight season in field goal percentage (61.5) and was second in scoring (24.1) … Became the first player since Charles Barkley of Auburn (1982-84) to lead the SEC in rebounding for three-straight seasons … For the third time in as many seasons, he set the SEC record for blocked shots with 157 and finished his career with a league and school-record 412. He blocked 11 shots in LSU’s 94.83 win over BYU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, setting a single-game tournament record … Blocked seven or more shots eight times … Along with Ronnie Battle of Auburn and Todd Day of Arkansas, scored a league-high (and career high) 43 points in LSU’s victory over Northern Arizona on Dec. 28, 1991 … Twice named SEC Player of the Week (Jan. 20 and March 9) … Finished his career as the school record holder in the following categories: single-game blocked shots (12 vs. Loyola-Marymount on Feb. 3, 1990), single-season blocked shots (157 in 1991-92), career blocked shots (412 from 1989-92), blocked shot season average (5.23 in 1991-91) and blocked shot career average (4.6 from 1989-92) … Ranked fourth in career scoring (1,941), fourth in career scoring average (21.6), fourth in career field goals (786), second in career field goal percentage (.610), eighth in career free throws (369), second in career rebounds (1,217) and third in career rebound average (13.5) … Finished his career with six triple doubles and 73 double doubles … Was the third LSU player (along with Pete Maravich and Chris Jackson) to have at least two 700-plus point seasons … Was the first LSU player to record back-to-back 400-plus rebound seasons.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (1990-91)
College basketball’s Player of the Year as chosen by the Associated Press, United Press International, Sports Illustrated and L.A. Gear … Winner of the prestigious Tanqueray World Amateur Athlete of the Year Award … In winning the AP’s Adolph Rupp Award, he became the first Southeastern Conference player to receive the honor named for the former Kentucky coach … Runner-up for the John Wooden Award … Finalist for the Naismith Award and Mercedes-Benz United State Basketball Writers Association Player of the Year Award … A consensus First-Team All-American and the consensus SEC Player of the Year also gave LSU its first SEC Athlete of the Year Honor … Finished the season as the nation’s leading rebounder, averaging 14.7 per game … Became the first player since Xavier McDaniel of Wichita State in 1985 to win the title with more than 14 rebounds per game … Joins Akeem (later Hakeem) Olajuwon of Houston (1984) and Artis Gilmore (1970-71) of Jacksonville as the only 7-footers to win the rebound title … Finished the season ranked seventh in the nation in scoring (27.6), 18th in field goal percentage (62.8) and third in blocked shots (5.0) … He was the first SEC player to lead the league in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and blocked shots in one season … Broke his own SEC record for blocks in a season with 140 … In just two seasons at LSU, O’Neal ranked third on the SEC list for career blocked shots with 255 and has 1990-91 average of 5.0 is an NCAA record for sophomores, topping the previous mark of 4.13 y Duane Causwell of Temple in 1989 … Scored 747 points in 1990-91, marking the seventh time an LSU player scored better than 700 points in a season … After two seasons at LSU, stood in eighth place in career rebounds with 796 and 17th in LSU’s career scoring chart with 1,219 … Had 25 double double games, including the third triple double of his career against Florida (31 points, 21 rebounds, 10 blocks) … Scored a Maravich Assembly Center record 53 points against Arkansas State on Dec. 20, 1990, and set the building records in the process for free throws made (17) and attempted (21) … Player in just 28 of the 30 games after suffering a leg injury late in the season.

FRESHMAN SEASON (1989-90)
A consensus First-Team All-SEC choice as well as a member of the Knoxville News-Sentinal Freshman All-SEC Team .. Member of the First-Team Freshman All-America Team selected by Basketball Times and Basketball Weekly … Earned Honorable Mention All-America honors from the AP, UPI and The Sporting News … Blocked a league-record 115 shots (sixth-best in the nation), becoming the first SEC player to block more than 100 shots in a season … Averaged 3.6 blocks per game, becoming the first league player to average more than three blocks per game … Destroyed the SEC’s single-game record for blocked shots, first blocking 10 against Texas on Jan. 2, 1990, and then 12 against Loyola-Marymount on Feb. 3 … Blocked six or more shots seven times … Third on the season in scoring (13.9) behind LSU greats and future NBA players Chris Jackson (27.8) and Stanley Roberts (14.1) … Led the SEC and ranked ninth nationally in rebounding (12.0) … Started 28 of the 32 games .. Posted 21 double doubles and two triple doubles (Texas and Loyola-Marymount) … Season high of 26 points came off the bench against Lamar on Dec. 4 … Had a season-high 24 rebounds against LMU … Led the South Team to the gold medal in the summer of 1990 at the U.S. Olympic Festival … Scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the festival opener against the West Team … In four Festival contests, scored 98 points (24.5 avg.), and grabbed 24 rebounds (13.8 avg.) … Set Olympic Festival records for single-game points (39), tournament points (98), tournament rebounds (55), single-game field goals (14), single-game free throw attempts (14), single-game blocked shots (10) and tournament blocks (27).

PRE-LSU
Cole High School was 68-1 after O’Neal arrived in 1987 when his father was transferred to Germany … Cole was 36-0 and winner of the Texas Class-AAA state championship in 1989 … First-Team Parade All-American in 1989 … Averaged 32.1 points, 22 rebounds and eight blocked shots per game for the Cougars … MVP of the McDonald’s All-Star Classic and the Dapper Dan game in Pittsburgh, Pa.

PERSONAL
Fullname is Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal … First and middle names mean “Little Warrior” in Islam … Nickname is “Shaq” … Business major while at LSU … Parents are Philip and Lucille Harrison … Born March 6, 1972 … Other members of his family are LaTeefah, Ayesha and Jamal (who later played one season of basketball at LSU) … Favorite pro athlete was Michael Jordan.

O’NEAL’S LSU CAREER STATISTICS