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Shaquille O'Neal News & Rumors

Shaquille O'Neal kidnap case is dismissed
August 10
Los Angeles Times
 
"A gang kidnapping case three years in the making, in which investigators looked into possible charges against NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, came to an abrupt end Tuesday as a prosecutor conceded that the alleged victim and star witness had credibility problems. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge M.L. Villar de Longoria ordered the case against seven Main Street Crip members dismissed after the prosecutor announced that his office would not proceed with the case. The unraveling of the kidnapping, robbery and assault case over a Feb. 10, 2008, incident revolved around the purported victim in the case, Robert Ross, a convicted felon and former gang member who was a one-time friend of"
Lawsuit against Shaquille O'Neal also targets his police officer friends
August 5
Orlando Sentinel
 
"In December 2005, when then-Miami Beach Police Chief Donald DeLucca swore in Shaquille O'Neal as an honorary police officer, the basketball star secured his status as a cop admirer. Now, if the allegations in a civil lawsuit - dismissed once but back in court again - are to be believed, the retired DeLucca and one active member of his force went on to help O'Neal with an unsavory project: taking revenge on a former employee who threatened to blow the whistle on the former Miami Heat center during his contentious divorce. Emails and text messages attached as exhibits to an amended complaint in Miami-Dade Circuit Court allege that O'Neal schemed to frame his former computer adviser, Shawn"
Lawsuit claims Shaquille O'Neal planted software in his ex-wife's car to track her
August 5
Yahoo! Sports
 
"Since his retirement from the NBA earlier this summer, Shaquille O'Neal(notes) has taken in some great news (his ascension to Turner talking head on TNT's "Inside the NBA"), and some downright dodgy news (some accusations that we don't want to give credibility to by linking to nor commenting on). This latest accusation, sadly, seems much more likely. O'Neal has been accused by a former confidante of purchasing and implementing GPS-styled tracking software for his former wife Shaunie's (pictured above and to the right) car. According to a buddy-gone-wrong, Shaq planted the devices to aid in tracking his former wife as she sought out any potential paramours still active in Shaq's social"
Shaq used cop pals in frame-up try, says lawsuit
August 4
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"Basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal, in an effort to seek revenge against a former employee who sided with his ex-wife in his contentious divorce, called on a roster of current and former law enforcement officers in Miami Beach. Their mission, according to a lawsuit in which O'Neal is the defendant, was to frame the man by hacking into his computer and leaving images of child pornography. Those allegations -- as well as the names of the police officers and sexually explicit e-mails and text messages between O'Neal and several women with whom he was involved -- are included in the amended complaint of a civil lawsuit originally filed in Miami-Dade circuit court last year. Shawn Darling, who"
Shaq will have no problem taking shots
July 18
Sacramento Bee
 
"Give credit to Shaquille O'Neal for not going all Jamie Foxx cross-eyed fielding a question about whether he could criticize NBA players. No problem, he said last week at the news conference announcing he would join TNT's "Inside the NBA," the highly entertaining version of basketball open-mike night. The Big Analytical - and Shaq does seem to pick up a nickname for every pound he gained while staying out of shape for his six NBA teams - said he easily will sit alongside Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson and take aim at his former colleagues. "I don't think it will be hard," O'Neal said. Well, of course not. This question always seems to come up for former athletes crossing"
Shaquille O'Neal to join Charles Barkley on TNT team
July 15
Palm Beach Post
 
"In the twilight of his Hall of Fame career, Shaquille O'Neal joined established teams in Cleveland and Boston in the hope of winning one final NBA championship. That didn't happen, and now O'Neal has started his life after basketball by latching onto another successful team. O'Neal, who had hinted at a broadcasting career even during his three-plus seasons with the Heat (2004-08), agreed Thursday to a multiyear contract with Turner Sports. He will join TNT's popular Inside the NBA program as an in-studio analyst alongside Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson. "I don't think it will be hard for me. I've always been a people person," O'Neal said. "The good thing about this show,"
Shaq joins TNT as NBA analyst
July 15
Boston Globe
 
"If you require another reason why the NBA must settle its labor issues before the lockout affects next season, here you go: Fans would miss out on the chance to discover whether Shaquille O'Neal's sharp sense of humor translates to television. O'Neal, the 15-time All-Star center who spent the final season of his career with the Celtics, has joined Turner Sports to serve as an analyst across its various NBA platforms. Most notably, he will become a full-time analyst on TNT's popular studio show "Inside The NBA," joining host Ernie Johnson and analysts Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley. "Shaq knows the game and, on and off the floor, he has always been entertaining; a guy who gets it," Johnson"
Shaq signs on to join TNT's studio crew
July 15
Boston Globe
 
"Shaquille O'Neal was last seen begging for a job at his backyard retirement bash last month. "TNT, ESPN, CNN,'' he said. "Whoever wants to hire me, give me a call.'' Soon enough, the phone rang. Not long after he announced he was done playing basketball after 19 years, 28,596 points, and four championships, ABC/ESPN called. They had exclusive rights to the NBA Finals and Stuart Scott's "boo-yah'' in their corner if O'Neal was interested. But when Turner Sports contacted him, O'Neal didn't think twice about joining Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley, the reigning king of off-the-cuff basketball commentary, for some late-night hijinks. O'Neal signed a multiyear deal to join"
Shaq's next big move takes him to Turner Sports
July 15
NBA.com
 
"During a raucous retirement party at his Florida home in June, Shaquille O'Neal promised that his next step would be a "big one." You wouldn't expect anything less from a man who has spent the past 19 years as the biggest personality in the sport, "The Big Aristotle" ... "The Big Shaqctus" ... "The Big Shamrock" etc., and beyond. So how about "The Big Analyst?" Because as promised, O'Neal's next step is a big one, now that the 15-time NBA All-Star and four-time NBA champion joins Turner Sports as a full-time analyst across its portfolio of NBA assets starting with the 2011-2012 season. O'Neal will join TNT's Emmy Award-winning studio show alongside Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles"
Report: Shaq to join TNT
July 10
CBSSports.com
 
"Pretty much the second Shaquille O'Neal announced his retirement, speculation started as to what his next career venture would be. Of course there's the policeman route, the move star route, the reality TV star route, the music route or the natural fit, the broadcasting route. According to Darren Rovell of CNBC, Shaq's going with the latter, for now. Rovell tweeted, "Sources have confirmed that Shaq has agreed in principle to join Turner." It really was just a question of where Shaq would go. With his big personality, popularity and knack for being great on camera, it really was going to come down to ESPN or Turner. And with Shaq choosing Turner, that just means the best is only getting"
Shaunie O'Neal: I Was Offered a 'Shaq Sex Tape'
June 19
TMZ.com
 
"Shaquille O'Neal's ex-wife says a former friend of the NBA star tried selling her a copy of what he claims is a sex tape featuring Shaq with various other women. A rep for Shaunie O'Neal tells TMZ ... the man making the sex tape claims, Robert Ross, set up a meeting with Shaunie back when she had split from Shaq ... and offered to sell her the tape. Ross claims the tape shows Shaq with other women while he was still with Shaunie. Ross claims Shaq would bring women to Ross' home and a security camera captured the action. Shaunie says she never saw any footage -- and can't confirm if it actually exists -- but says she turned Ross down flat because she "wanted nothing to do with it.""
Shaq in middle of kidnapping, robbery, sex tape case
June 15
TMZ.com
 
"Shaquille O'Neal is embroiled in a criminal case in which 7 gang members allegedly kidnapped, beat up and robbed a man who claimed to have a tape showing Shaq having sex with other women while he was married to Shaunie. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Ladell Rowles -- a member of the Main Street Mafia Crip Gang in L.A. who is friends with Shaq -- along with 6 other members went on a search and destroy mission in L.A. on February 11, 2008. They believed a man named Robert Ross had the sex tape and they tried getting it back with the help of a gun or two. According to the police report, the 7 gang members met up with Ross at a convenience store -- Pink Dot -- on the Sunset Strip. The"
Shaq insists his barbs toward Dwight Howard are 'all marketing'
June 7
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Either Shaquille O'Neal is a brilliant marketer, or his rivalry with Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard continues to simmer. O'Neal insists he bears no ill will toward Howard, despite circumstantial evidence that indicates otherwise. At his retirement press conference, some of O'Neal's employees wore T-shirts with the following slogan on the front: "The Real Superman Has 4 Rings." And, during his opening remarks, O'Neal added a not-so-subtle dig at Howard when he said, "In light of today I am retiring all of my nicknames: The Big Aristotle, Shaq-Fu, The Big Shamrock, The Big Cactus, The Diesel and finally, the one and only, original, never to be duplicated or replicated, Superman." O'Neal"
Shaq, Cuban, Arison together again
June 5
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 columnist Ira Winderman
"On the surface, the two transcendent stories in the NBA this week could not have seemed less linked. In South Florida, the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks were stepping up in an NBA Finals that took only two games to prove compelling. In Central Florida, Shaquille O'Neal was stepping down, announcing his retirement. To some, the timing came off as nothing more than Shaq stealing the moment, driving the media up Florida's Turnpike when the plan had been flights to Big D. But go back to February 2008, and the weeks prior, and you will find another layer of why the Heat and Mavericks have carried such animus over the years, and why Heat owner Micky Arison and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban have"
Shaq sheds light on departure from Orlando Orlando Magic - posted by zach mccann on June, 3 2011 1:51 PM
June 4
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Shaquille O'Neal, who infamously called Orlando a "dried-up little pond" when he bolted to Los Angeles via free agency in 1996, talked about why he left the Magic during his retirement press conference Friday afternoon. "Business wise, I had a better offer in Los Angeles," said O'Neal, referring to the teams' original offers. "At the time, they didn't match it. I didn't want to go back and forth, you know, match this number…. So, I told them, L.A. came with the number and I decided to go to L.A. Plus, a lot of other selfish reasons, movies and all that stuff out there. I thought it was the right choice for me." The Magic eventually offered the same amount as the Lakers, but as O'Neal said,"
Shaq reveals why he really left Magic all those years ago
June 4
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Finally, on the day one of the greatest players of all-time retired, I got a chance to ask The Big Orlandoan why he really left the Magic all those years ago. Was it actually the Orlando Sentinel poll in which readers overwhelmingly voted that Shaq was not worth a $120 million contract? Was it the Magic's initial low-ball offer that insulted him? Or was it simply because he wanted to play for the Lakers and be a big star in a big city? It was mainly the latter, although Shaq said the Sentinel poll and the Magic's indecision about whether to match the $121 million Lakers' offer were certainly factors. "Fifty percent of it was that I was selfish. I had a lot of stuff going on … movies and"
Shaq left another void in Orlando _ the fun-loving, goofy superstar
June 4
Orlando Sentinel
 
"It is understandable that many Magic fans will never warm up to Shaquille O'Neal The Big Defector. Imagine what could have been had he and Penny Hardaway _ remember him? _ formed an NBA dynasty that could have been a great as Jordan-Pippen or Magic-Jabbar. But there was another void that was never filled when Shaq left for Los Angeles: He was, and still is, an affalble and approachable giant. As I wrote this week, his man-child legacy cast unprecedented footsteps in the NBA . Even with his crew of security guys, Shaq has always been one of the most easygoing superstars when it comes to media and fan interaction. During his four years in Orlando, it wasn't unusual to see him driving down"
Shaq retires, wants to see Dwight Howard remain with Orlando Magic
June 4
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Shaquille O'Neal doesn't know how he'll spend the retirement that he formally announced Friday. Basketball's original "Superman" has plenty of options. He might accept a job as a television basketball analyst. He might run for sheriff in Orange County or Lake County one day. He might join a group that hopes to buy an NBA team or bring an NFL team to Los Angeles. But O'Neal knows he will attend Orlando Magic games. And when he does, he hopes to see Dwight Howard in a Magic uniform for years to come. "I read his comments the other day," O'Neal explained, "and I thought that those were the correct comments for him to say: 'I don't want to follow nobody. I don't want to follow Shaq. I want to"
Popovich praises O'Neal for his style
June 4
San Antonio Express-News
 
"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"
O'Neal has fun right to the finish
June 4
Boston Globe
 
"It wasn't going to be a standard retirement announcement. Instead, it was part going-away party, part memory-lane stroll, part comedy routine. Shaquille O'Neal sat at a stage yesterday in his suburban Orlando, Fla., home in front of the media and a televised audience he had invited as if they were lifelong friends. "First of all, I want to thank everyone for coming out,'' he said. "Appreciate you guys very, very much. Never thought this day would come. Father time has finally caught up with Shaquille O'Neal. I just want to say . . . '' He cut the sentence short when someone approached to hand him a cellphone. He put it to his ear. "Who's this?'' Phil Jackson? Pat Riley? Who knew, really?"
Shaq goes out on his own terms
June 4
Boston Globe
 
"Surrounded by family and friends, Shaquille O'Neal officially announced his retirement at his home in Orlando, Fla., proudly proclaiming he finished his career doing it his own way. "I'm comfortable here saying I did it my way," O'Neal said. And in typical fashion, O'Neal was equally entertaining as gracious in his goodbyes. Just as he was getting started in his opening remarks, he was interrupted with a cell phone call. "Who is this? Yes. For real? You want me to come up and apply for the New York Knicks general manager job. OK, sure I'll be up right after the press conference. OK, sure thank you. That was the president of the Knicks. He wants me to fly up right after the press conference"
O'Neal ready to collect Social Shaqurity
June 4
Boston Herald
 
""The Big Shamrock" has officially transitioned into the "The Big AARP." After 19 seasons, iconic NBA big man Shaquille O'Neal is retiring from the NBA. The 39-year-old legend made it official yesterday during a press conference in his home west of downtown Orlando, Fla. With his mother, Lucille, and father, Sgt. Philip Harrison, sitting in the front row and his college coach, Dale Brown of LSU, seated next to him on stage, O'Neal waxed poetic about an NBA career that is guaranteed to bring a Hall of Fame induction. "I never thought this day would come," O'Neal said upon taking his seat on stage. "Father Time has finally caught up to Shaquille O'Neal. O'Neal played in just 37 games during"
Shaq goes out on his own terms
June 3
Boston Globe
 
"Surrounded by family and friends, Shaquille O'Neal officially announced his retirement at his home in Orlando, Fla., proudly proclaiming he finished his career doing it his own way. "I'm comfortable here saying I did it my way," O'Neal said. And in typical fashion, O'Neal was equally entertaining as gracious in his goodbyes. Just as he was getting started in his opening remarks, he was interrupted with a cell phone call. "Who is this? Yes. For real? You want me to come up and apply for the New York Knicks general manager job. OK, sure I'll be up right after the press conference. OK, sure thank you. That was the president of the Knicks. He wants me to fly up right after the press conference"
Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade overlooks past harsh remarks by Shaquille O'Neal
June 3
Palm Beach Post
 
"Whatever bitterness Dwyane Wade might have had toward Shaquille O'Neal - the former Heat center trashed his teammates on his way out of town in 2008 - has subsided. Wade, who played with O'Neal for 3 1/2 seasons and combined with him to win the NBA title in 2006, expressed nothing but praise and admiration for O'Neal a day after "The Diesel" announced his retirement at 39. "Just always appreciative of the opportunity to play with one of the greatest to ever put on the NBA jersey," Wade said after Thursday's shoot-around before Game 2 of the NBA Finals. "We had some great years together, so I'm humbled, and totally honored to have been a teammate. But as a fan, just seeing the dominance of"
Mavs look back on Shaq's career
June 3
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Shaquille O'Neal epitomized a celebrity-athlete, becoming one of the most well known figures for his dominant play in the paint, as well as his charismatic personality off it. O'Neal announced his retirement on Wednesday, and several of the Mavs reflected back on one of the most memorable NBA careers. "He's one of the all-time greats, not only on the court but off the court," Dirk Nowitzki said. "Getting to know him through the years, being in the same locker room at All-Star games, he's one of the funniest characters in the league. We're going to miss him." Added center Tyson Chandler: "Shaq has done a lot for this league, and made this league better. He was one of the great ones and he's"
Mavericks have some fond memories of Shaq
June 3
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Caron Butler remembers his signature Shaq moment like it was yesterday. "I remember he fouled me pretty hard when I was playing with Washington and then he kissed me on the head,'' Butler said. "That's one of my YouTube moments with Shaq.'' The Mavericks expressed a touch of sadness that Shaquille O'Neal announced his retirement. The game has lost a great ambassador and a great person, they said. "Knowing him personally, he took me under his wing as a youngster,'' said Tyson Chandler, who was a high-schooler in the Los Angeles area when O'Neal was with the Lakers. "Not only was he huge for the game on the court, but off the court as well. He meant so much to youngsters like myself,"
Nick Anderson on Shaq retirement: When he left Magic, he took five or six titles with him
June 3
Orlando Sentinel
 
"When Shaquille O'Neal left Orlando all those years ago, he potentially took a sixpack of NBA championships with him. This is what former Magic star and current Magic executive Nick Anderson contended when we interviewed him about Shaq's retirement on our critically acclaimed radio show Thursday. "I'm honest when I say this, I think we would have had five or six championships," Anderson said of the mid-1990s Magic team he played on with Shaq, Penny Hardaway, Horace Grant and Co. Anderson also told the the story of the summer day in 1996 when he found out Shaq was leaving for the L.A. Lakers. "I was sitting at my home in Chicago watching the Olympics (in 1996) when a special bulletin came"
Former LSU basketball coach Dale Brown has fond memories of Shaquille O'Neal
June 3
New Orleans Times-Picayune
 
"Dale Brown never will forget the day in 1985, the day Shaquille O'Neal walked into the life of the man coaching basketball at LSU. "He was carrying a duffle bag," Brown recalled. "He was wearing a white polo shirt, khaki pants, tennis shoes. I'm winding up a European tour, giving clinics, and I couldn't wait to get back to Baton Rouge. I'm at an Army base in West Germany, in a city named Wildflecken, and I find myself looking up at a young man, about 6 feet 8, smiling down at me." Not only that. He's also wearing what Brown later learned was a size 17 shoe. The coach realized the young man's growing days were far from over. "How long you been in the service, son?" Brown asked. "I'm too"
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade say they'll miss Shaq
June 3
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"Their former teammate will formally say goodbye to the NBA on Friday at his Orlando-area home. But as they prepared for Thursday's Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat stars Dwyane Wade and LeBron James paused to express their appreciation for all Shaquille O'Neal has meant to themselves and the league. "One thing about Shaq," Wade said, "is he did it the way he wanted to do it. At the end of the day, he had fun with the game. He did it the way he wanted to do it for 19 years. There's not many people who can say that. "He said what he wanted to say, he did what he wanted to do. And not many people can say that. So he enjoyed his time in the NBA." For Wade,"
Former teammates give praise to Shaq
June 3
Boston Globe
 
"While there will long be debate about Shaquille O'Neal's place amongst the all-time greats and whether he gave a maximum effort throughout his 19-year career, there is no debate about his impact on the NBA as the league loses one of its legendary personalities. Friends and adversaries had nothing but compliments yesterday when news spread of the big man's retirement. There is general speculation that O'Neal may attempt a return once his sore Achilles' tendon and foot heal, but for now he's done. O'Neal came to Miami as a savior in 2004 and left in 2008 with harsh words for the Heat's training staff because of a lingering hip injury and unkind remarks about superstar Dwyane Wade. Wade has"
That's a wrap, Shaq?
June 3
Boston Herald
 
"The Celtics are not surprised in the least that Shaquille O'Neal is departing after 19 NBA seasons, the last of which was an ultimately unrewarding campaign with their club. But that doesn't mean the local franchise won't be leaving the porch light on for The Big Retiree. General manager Danny Ainge has long figured Shaq would be calling it a career after this season, but he doesn't intend to let O'Neal go peacefully into the great NBA beyond. Ainge was asked flatly if he is convinced Shaq won't again play in the league. "Oh, I don't know," he said. "I don't know. I would not say that. "I mean, hopefully Shaq can get his body healthy and then reconsider." Ainge then paused and added, "I"
Shaq's gone – for now
June 2
Yahoo! Sports
 columnist Adrian Wojnarowski
"Goodbye will never come so unceremoniously for Shaquille O'Neal, so abruptly as a 15-second video burst on Twitter. There will be marching bands and music and something much, much louder. This wasn't a retirement, as much as it was a chance to crash LeBron James' and Dwyane Wade's championship coronation. Maybe O'Neal believes this is the end, but perhaps he'll prove too intoxicated with the drama of comebacks and rebirths to stay away for good. Goodbye will never come this way. There's still a comeback left within him, still some late-season clandestine workouts with teams to show he can be useful in the playoffs. A former front-office executive, former coach and former teammate of"
Who's the better person: Shaq or Kobe?
June 2
Orange County Register
 columnist Kevin Ding
"Ten years ago, they were at the peak of their powers together (and actually getting along). Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant lost Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals in overtime, but they won every one of the other 15 games they played together as Lakers that postseason. They've been through so much that the intensity of publicity is hardly on par with Kobe bringing up in a police interview Shaq paying hush money after sexual escapades or Shaq rapping about how Kobe can kiss his rear (with this factual side note: "I'm a horse; Kobe ratted me out, that's why I'm gettin' divorced"). For now, they remain insanely famous — even though O'Neal's retirement Wednesday is the beginning of the end for the"
With Shaq gone, let the great debate begin
June 2
Boston Globe
 
"Couldn't help but note that, as always, plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose. In other words, nothing ever changes. Every 42 years or so, an all-time center retires from the Celtics without the team being the first to know. So before any old-timers get on Shaquille O'Neal for announcing his NBA retirement via Tout, the latest and greatest form of social media, a form of communication at which Shaq has proclaimed himself the "Emperor," I must remind folks that 42 years ago the Celtics found out that Bill Russell was hanging 'em up was via an article in Sports Illustrated. It's the same idea, just a different form of information delivery."
Shaq announces retirement
June 2
Boston Globe
 
"The plan all along was that Boston would be Shaquille O'Neal's last stop. He said he had a 730-day plan. This is where he could chase down one last championship ring, the place where he'd take his victory lap after 19 years in the NBA. It would also be the first stop on his post-career public relations campaign. He would not only be one of the biggest stars in sport, he would be the most accessible, whether he was in Harvard Square posing as a statue, or at Symphony Hall in a tuxedo and bow tie conducting the Boston Pops."
Lakers plan to retire Shaquille O'Neal's jersey number
June 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"At an undetermined time, the Lakers plan to raise Shaquille O'Neal's No. 34 jersey to the Staples Center rafters, making him the eighth Lakers player to have his number retired. "There is no timetable and there is no plan other than yes, we definitely plan at some point to retire his jersey," Lakers spokesman John Black said. The news, as first reported by ESPN Los Angeles' Dave McMenamin, coincides with O'Neal's announcement Wednesday that he will retire after a 19-year career that spanned four NBA championships, three Finals most-valuable-player awards, one regular-season MVP award and 15 All-Star appearances. He is in fifth place on the league's all-time scoring list (28,596 points)"
Shaquille O'Neal tweets retirement
June 2
Boston Herald
 
"In the same breath, Shaquille O'Neal's announcement that he is retiring makes perfect sense — and it makes none. According to NBA sources, while Shaq was telling everyone publicly that he was giving the Celtics two years, he was saying at times to others that this was to be his last season in basketball. Yesterday via Twitter, Shaq said "im retiring," and included a link to a short video of him saying, "We did it; 19 years, baby. Thank you very much. That's why I'm telling you first: I'm about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon." But the fact he bought in so heavily to the Celtics situation, in terms of both franchise history and the desire to win with the current veterans, makes it"
Shaq announces retirement via Twitter
June 1
Boston Globe
 
"After a 19-year career that will likely land him in the Hall of Fame, Shaquille O'Neal announced his retirement this afternoon via Twitter. "We did it," he said. "Nineteen years, baby. I want to thank you very much, that's why I'm telling you first: I'm about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon." O'Neal, who signed a two-year contract with the Celtics last summer for the veteran's minimum played just one season in green. As one of the best scoring big-men in the league's history, he boosted the Celtics offense dramatically in the first half of the season. But as the oldest player in the league, the 39-year-old center was hobbled by an cocktail of leg injuries for much of the second half."
Shaq's mother says center might play next season for the Celtics
May 19
New Orleans Times-Picayune
 
"On his weekly radio show in Boston last week, Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge said the possibility of former LSU center Shaquille O'Neal retiring this offseason is strong. But O'Neal's mother, Lucille, said he still could return next season. O'Neal, who signed a two-year contract with the Celtics last summer, missed 58 games this season after requiring arthroscopic knee surgery. He played in two playoff games after complaining of a sore back. The Celtics were eliminated in five games by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals. "He went there to help them win a championship, and they didn't do that this year,'' Lucille said. "It bothered him so much"
Shaq move is deemed failure
May 12
Boston Globe
 
"The Celtics traded Kendrick Perkins because they were convinced Shaquille O'Neal could be a more-than-adequate replacement at center and the team would flourish offensively. That move backfired as O'Neal was limited to 37 regular-season games and two in the postseason. His sore right Achilles' tendon and foot flared up after a brief appearance in Game 4, and yesterday served as a time of reflection on O'Neal's storied career. Coach Doc Rivers acknowledged the Shaq experiment was a failure. The organization unwisely depended on a 39-year-old who had played nearly 50,000 minutes. The Celtics never had a healthy presence in the middle and their lack of interior defense was a primary reason"
Shaquille O'Neal out, future's in doubt
May 12
Boston Herald
 
"The Shaquille O'Neal chapter of Celtics history — his painful, premature decline — took another turn last night as the center sat out the Game 5 ouster against the Miami Heat, perhaps missing his last game as a Celtic and possibly in his career. The reason was the same as what limited O'Neal to three first-half minutes in Game 4 — chronic pain and stiffness in his right Achilles tendon and calf. No one wanted to say that this may be the end of a legendary 18-season career. He's under contract with the Celtics at the $1.4 million veteran's minimum for one more season. But some things can't be helped. "I don't know," Rivers said of whether this may be the end for O'Neal. "It's too early to"
Heat stars reflect on Shaquille O'Neal
May 11
ESPN.com
 
"Dwyane Wade's relationship with Shaquille O'Neal is fractured but the Miami Heat star said he'll always appreciate O'Neal's impact on his career. Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers said O'Neal was ruled doubtful for Wednesday night's Game 5 and beyond because of a lingering Achilles injury that is getting worse. It leaves open the possibility that O'Neal's career could be at an end. O'Neal has a player option for next season but continuous injury problems and the specter of a lockout means there's a chance he has played his last game."
Shaq doubtful for Game 5; Rondo's status unchanged
May 11
Boston Globe
 
"Reserve center Shaquille O'Neal is doubtful for tonight's Game 5 vs. the Miami Heat with the same Achilles injury that's kept him out for most of the latter part of the season. "I will say I doubt it," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said when asked if Shaq would play. "I don't know yet today. That little stretch of the game it got worse." O'Neal has only managed to play in little stretches in two playoff games for the Celtics, so it's not like much will change. The Celtics have been and will continue to operate largely without Shaq. O'Neal played just four minutes in Game 4 after playing eight minutes in Game 3. Nenad Krstic did not play for the Celtics in Game 4, so it's possible he'll get some"
Shaquille O'Neal expected to go again tonight
May 9
Boston Herald
 
"Shaquille O'Neal, who Saturday night played for just the second time since Feb. 2, was predictably sore yesterday, especially in the right Achilles tendon/calf area. The veteran center logged just eight minutes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Heat, recording two points and zero rebounds. But he clogged up some valuable space in the middle to help the Celts to their best defensive performance of the playoffs in the 97-81 win. Coach Doc Rivers expects to send out O'Neal for Game 4 tonight, again off the bench. "I know he can (play)," Rivers said. "That part of it is good. Obviously it's day-to-day with Shaq, but I do think he can do the same. Right now he has"
O'Neal's return makes big difference
May 8
Boston Globe
 
"Shaquille O'Neal was active for a Celtics game for just the second time since Feb. 1, giving Boston a huge post presence and perhaps altering this Eastern Conference semifinal series. He scored 2 points in 8 minutes 29 seconds in the Celtics' 97-81 victory over the Heat in Game 3 last night at TD Garden. "I thought Shaq had a big impact in the second half, just his presence,'' coach Doc Rivers said. "He came out of the game healthy.'' O'Neal had practiced the past two days and participated in the team's shootaround yesterday morning in Waltham. He came off the bench last night."
Celebrating Shaq back
May 8
Boston Herald
 
"Now you can call him the Big Footnote. After months of speculation about his return from a sore right Achilles tendon, Shaquille O'Neal's eight-minute appearance was the least of what went into the Celtics' 97-81 win over Miami last night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. He finished with two points and didn't grab a rebound, but O'Neal clogged some valuable space in the midst of the Celtics' best defensive performance of the playoffs. "In the first half he struggled, and then in the second half he was phenomenal," said C's coach Doc Rivers, who was especially impressed with O'Neal's ability to mesh with the second unit on such short notice. "I thought Shaq had a big impact"
Shaq set to return for the Celtics, but will it even matter?
May 7
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 columnist Mike Berardino
"Freudian slip of the day in Heat Land? That goes to LeBron James, who said the following when I asked him Friday what potential impact Shaquille O'Neal's return might have on these Eastern Conference semifinals. "You can only put five guys on the line — on the court — at one time," James said, quickly catching himself. "We'll see what happens." Yes, Hack-a-Shaq could be back in play tonight in Boston as the Celtics break the glass that has encased the Big Leprechaun these past three months. Down 2-0 and looking old, the proud Celtics definitely find themselves in emergency mode. While the Heat clearly intend to give Udonis Haslem a little more time to heal his injured foot, the Celtics are"
Shaq, Paul Pierce poised to return to the court Saturday
May 7
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"For the Boston Celtics, this NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series has become as much about body parts as the 0-2 deficit they find themselves dealing with entering Saturday night's Game 3 at TD Garden. Shaquille O'Neal's calf? Apparently good enough to get the former Heat center into a game for only the second time since Feb. 1. The balky Achilles that limited Paul Pierce in Tuesday's 102-91 Game 2 loss at AmericanAirlines Arena? The veteran small forward insists it will not be an issue. Kevin Garnett's back? Actually, the back issues belong to point guard Rajon Rondo, but the question Friday at the Celtics' practice facility in Waltham, Mass., was whether Garnett is up to the 20 shots"
Doc Rivers expects Shaquille O'Neal to return Saturday
May 6
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"Amid the strongest declaration yet about Shaquille O'Neal's impending return to the Boston Celtics' rotation, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Thursday, "It won't alter what either team does." With the Celtics bypassing practice Thursday in favor of a non-contact walkthrough, Celtics coach Doc Rivers spoke optimistically at the team's practice facility in Waltham, Mass., after consulting with the massive veteran center and Celtics trainer Ed Lacerte. "I am expecting Shaq," Rivers said. "He told me he was going to play, and Eddie thought he would play. I expect him to play, and if he didn't, it would be because something went wrong in practice, or his body didn't respond. But I expect"