Shaquille ONeal,one of the most successful and recognisable players in professional basketball,announced his retirement on Wednesday,ending a career that spanned almost two decades and helped increase the popularity of the sport outside the United States. A giant of a man who wore size 23 shoes but endeared himself to millions of people around the globe both through his performances on the court and his wacky sense of humour,he typically chose an unusual way of delivering his news,posting a video on a social media website. We did it. Nineteen years baby. I want to thank you very much,thats why Im telling you first,Im about to retire. Thank you,talk to you soon, he said in the message. The 39-year-old,who has been struggling with an Achilles injury,later told ESPN that he hadnt really wanted to retire but his body and age dictated he quit. Im going to miss the competition. Im going to miss the chase for the ring. Im actually going to miss everything, he said. ONeal,popularly known as The Shaq,said he planned to hold a news conference at his home in Florida on Friday to reflect on his career as the basketball world began paying tribute to his outstanding accomplishments. For 19 seasons,Shaquille ONeal was literally and figuratively an NBA giant, the NBA commissioner David Stern said. On behalf of the NBA,its teams,and his millions of fans around the world,I want to thank Shaq for everything he has meant to the league and to the sport of basketball,both on and off the court. Jerry Buss,owner of the Los Angeles Lakers,where ONeal won the first three of his four championship rings,heaped praise on the center,who seems destined to be inducted into the NBAs Hall of Fame. Shaq had a long and amazing career,with a huge impact both on and off the court, Buss said. His contributions were significant to the entire NBA,but we specifically appreciate what he did with and what he meant to the Lakers during his eight years with us. We have three championships that we wouldnt have won without him,and we will forever be grateful for his significant contributions to those teams. Numbers speak ONeal was a physically imposing man with an infectious smile. He stood seven feet one inches tall,weighed 147kg and was a force under the basket. He scored 28,596 points in the NBA,the fifth highest total,and was 12th overall in rebounds and seventh in blocked shots. He averaged 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds a game,was named in 15 All-Star teams and was a member of the United States team that won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He was selected by the Orlando Magic as the number one pick at the 1992 NBA Draft. In 1996,he joined the Lakers. ONeal was named as the Most Valuable Player in each of those three finals series and in 2000 he was named MVP of the entire NBA. He moved to the Miami Heat in 2004 and joined forces with Dwyane Wade,winning a fourth championship two years later. ONeal earned almost $300 million salary over his career as well as another fortune in endorsements as he transcended both the sporting and entertainment worlds. JULIAN LINDEN
