It isn't unusual for retired NBA players to have regrets about their careers. Whether personal or team-related, something always seems to gnaw at them when they reflect on their time in the NBA.
During a recent podcast episode, a Los Angeles Lakers legend revealed the biggest regret of his 19-year NBA career.
"When you talk about great players, I had the opportunity to play with [LeBron James], too. I was so amazed at his leadership and how he played," Shaquille O'Neal said on the OG's show Monday. "When I was with him, I wasn't the Shaq, but I was a good role player. We were first in our conference, played Boston, Big Baby broke my hand, I had to leave for six weeks. I tried to come back, but I wasn't there, and we lost to Boston. These are things I think about when it comes to rings...I should have eight rings, and I'm not talking about free throws. I'm just talking about messed up opportunities."
O'Neal won three championships with the Lakers before adding another ring to his resume as a member of the Miami Heat. He spent the first four years of his career with the Orlando Magic after getting selected No.1 overall. As a free agent in 1996, O'Neal opted to team up with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles.
By 2002, O'Neal had helped the Lakers achieve the third three-peat in NBA history. In the summer of 2004, however, Los Angeles decided to trade O'Neal to the Heat in exchange for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and a future first-round draft pick. During his second season in Miami, O'Neal took a backseat to Dwayne Wade in the NBA finals and walked away with his fourth championship.
After that, O'Neal played five more seasons in the NBA and settled for four finals victories in 19 years. Although his frustration with the sour end to his career is warranted, he should be proud of his monumental achievements.
In addition to winning four titles, the 15-time All-Star averaged 23.7 points per game on 58.2% from the field for his career, along with 10.9 rebounds. His impressive numbers should illustrate the traditional back-to-the-basket big man's dominance during his era. Without a doubt, O'Neal is one of the best centers to participate in the NBA.