By 2009, Shaquille O’Neal was already playing for his fourth NBA team, the Phoenix Suns. Before that, Shaq played with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, and Miami Heat. He achieved great success in each of those cities, but when he was asked where he preferred his jersey would be retired, he said L.A. and why not?
After failing to win a championship in Orlando, O’Neal teamed up with Kobe Bryant to lead the Lakers to three straight NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. They arguably could have won even more if not for the internal rift. And while Shaq went on to win a fourth championship in Miami, his best body of work remained in Tinseltown.
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“Hopefully it’ll be here,” he said, referring to what was then known as Staples Center. “I was part of the greatest one-two punch in Laker history. Hopefully, they still remember that.”
Shaq found success in his first four NBA cities
Whether he’s right about him and Kobe being the greatest one-two punch in Lakers history, no one will forget what he and Bryant brought to Tinseltown. Together, they put the Purple and Gold back on the map, much like the Showtime Lakers did in the 80s.
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When Shaq landed in Miami, he teamed up with Dwyane Wade to deliver the Heat’s first championship in 2006. And if he had not been in a hurry to leave Orlando, he and Penny Hardaway could have won at least one title together.
With Shaq earning All-Star and All-NBA status with the Magic, Lakers and Heat, and him starting off his Suns career on a high note, he felt he could top Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Pete Maravich as the only players to have their jersey number retired in three different NBA cities.
“In a perfect world, I have four teams, I’d be the first guy standing there with all four jerseys, number retired in all four places. It’s not something I really think about. If I had my first wish, it would be here. Because when I first came here, I made the statement I would love to have my name next to Kareem and those greats,” the legendary big man said.
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First Orlando Magic player to have his jersey retired
Unfortunately, Shaq played only one full season in Phoenix. And although he was an All-Star and All-NBA player that 2008-09 campaign, he did not do enough to merit a jersey retirement there. He did, however, in his first three cities. The Lakers were the first to retire Shaq’s number in 2013. The Heat followed three years later. However, it wasn’t until last year that the Magic gave Shaq the honor, making it the most special for him.
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“Out of all the ceremonies, this is the most exciting,” he said on “Inside the NBA.” “At LSU, I knew it was going to happen… The Lakers, I kind of forced it to happen because I wanted my name to be up there. Orlando, I played here for four years, got into the Finals once, got into the ring of honor ceremony, and that being said, that nobody else has their jerseys retired, I never thought this day would happen. It means a lot.”
Although O’Neal did not get his wish of becoming the first player in NBA history to have his jersey retired in four different cities, his number went to the rafters in three different NBA arenas, a testament to the impact he left wherever he played. More importantly, he got to put his name next to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Los Angeles.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 9, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.