The Los Angeles Lakers have been fortunate to have been home to numerous NBA greats, but there was no quite like Shaquille O’Neal.
O’Neal signed with the Lakers in 1996 for a then-fortune of $120 million and changed the direction of the franchise after it had been struggling during its post “Showtime” era. With a young Kobe Bryant alongside him, O’Neal led Los Angeles to a three-peat and established the organization as the premier team in the league once again.
The center would go on to play several other teams after the Lakers, but his legacy as a basketball player is cemented.