"Shaquille O'Neal exited laughing at his official retirement news conference on Friday, and it was his humor and zest for life that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he most admired about the center who earned four championship rings during 19 NBA seasons.

"I always felt he had more fun than any NBA player of all time," said Popovich, a Spurs assistant coach when NBA scouts first took notice of a Cole junior named O'Neal who was dominating Texas high school games in 1988 and 1989. "He seemed to enjoy himself more than any player. He competed to win, but his intelligence and humor were always there. He enjoyed the spotlight; he used it, he played with it and I always got a large kick out of it."

O'Neal's official announcement came Friday at his Orlando-area home, where the humor Popovich admired again was on display.

Hours after the Knicks announced that Donnie Walsh was stepping down as their general manager, O'Neal interrupted his announcement to take a fake phone call from the Knicks.

"Yes?" he said into the phone. "For real? You want me to apply for the Knicks general manager job? I'll fly up right after the press conference."

It was just such irreverence for a game too many take too seriously that Popovich appreciated.

"His personality was infectious and I thought his sense of humor was wonderful for the league and the fans," Popovich said."