It was a privilege to be in attendance at this historical event. The Los Angeles Lakers decided it was time to pay respects to one of their greats, Shaquille O’Neal.
A guy that I personally call a cousin, an uncle, a brother, a mentor, and much more. Needless to say, those titles don’t even halfway describe the impact he has had on my life. From a young age I was introduced to Shaquille (Big) and from that day, he took my family and I in as his own. I remember meeting him like it was yesterday. The Magic were on a road trip to play the Knicks and Nets and my father took my brother and I to a hotel room with Big and Penny, I remember hiding behind a couch for most of the time because they were so tall. I can vividly recall him teaching me how to bob my head to the beat of music in his green Bentley on the way to The Forum, big cousin taxes at dinner (when he happens to stick his fork in your plate take your food and claiming he was taking big cousin taxes) him coming to my pop warner football game and the other team announcing him as their special guest (they paid for that) and me having to be put through the car window just to be able to speak to him for a couple minutes, and countless other memories that I will forever carry.
Moving forward, through the years, Big has protected me, kept me in line as well as put me in positions that most people do not get to experience and I cant thank him enough for all of that. My life has been a true blessing thanks to the bond between him and my father.
Shaquille has had an outstanding career when you look at his timeline. He made video games, movies, music, served his community, and dominated on the basketball court and he did most of that at the same time. He has been able to influence many people through the way he carried himself. His basketball career has been a platform for his growth as an individual and has opened many other opportunities for him in which he has always known how to find success.
The Lakers retiring his jersey was a huge moment….. I mean time and time again he breaks barriers but this is one of those occasions where you sit back, reflect, and realize what it was that he accomplished. Arguably hands down the most dominate big man to ever play the game, and for that fact CHANGED the game. The league hasn’t seen a player of his caliber in years and who knows how long it will be before that guy comes around.
The true conclusion to his legacy is almost solidified; maybe one more jersey hung in the rafters forever, and of course that Hall of Fame introduction…..just forward thinking.
The storyboard of his NBA career has been laid out for the world to take note.
Congrats Big Fella!
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