After 19 years of baallllin, basketball great Shaquille O’Neal has announced that he’s retiring. In a video link by way of Twitter Shaq said,

“We did it. Nineteen years baby. Thank you very much. That’s why I’m telling you first: I’m about to retire. Love ya, talk to you soon.”

Later in a brief phone interview Shaq told ESPN  “I’m going to miss the competition. I’m going to miss the chase for the ring. I’m actually going to miss everything“.  Reflecting on both Shaq’s legacy and his retirement, NBA Comissioner David Sterns had this to say…

“For 19 seasons, Shaquille O’Neal was literally and figuratively an NBA giant. 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.”

This should come as no surprise considering that Shaq is the oldest player in the league right now, not to mention suffering an Achilles injury that caused him to miss most of the latter half of the 2010-2011 season. Nonetheless, his departure from the courts doesn’t go without saying how great his career was. Starting his claim to fame as a Los Angeles Laker, Shaq continued to get his superstar shine on throughout his career with the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and most recently the Boston Celtics. Through it all his talent along with his fierce 7’1 presence on the court earned him Rookie of the Year in 1993, 3 NBA Finals MVP awards, 5th place in all-time career points, 15-time All-Star status, and 4 championship rings.

Job well done Shaq and best wishes with future endeavors!!!

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