We all remember his time as a young superstar in Orlando, his dynasty in Los Angeles when he was the league’s best player and his tenures in Miami, Phoenix and Cleveland, but Shaquille O’Neal‘s early years have a way of going under the radar.
Considering that he may have been the most dominant college player in decades — and perhaps high school player, too — it is amazing that people forget why he was drafted first overall.
O’Neal averaged 25 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in his three years at LSU, looking like a man among boys.
Prior to that, he won 68 of 69 games at Cole High School in San Antonio.
Check out this “NBA Jam” era interview with Shaq on TNT from when O’Neal was just a sophomore in college. Celtics legend Bill Walton, sporting early 1990s hair, says he expects big things from Shaq.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMLc3qwTYgQ&feature=youtu.be
He was even dunking over opponents’ heads well before Vince Carter did it. That’s how dominant he was.
NESN.com will showcase one Moment of Shaq every day until the
Celtics open the season against the Heat on Oct. 26 at the TD Garden.
Saturday, Aug. 14: Shaq plays both sides in Cola Wars.
