Shaquille O’Neal of the Orlando Magic was named Rookie of the Year in 1992-93. He had a ridiculous first season, playing in 81 games and scoring 23.4 points per game. Shaquille also grabbed 13.9 rebounds and blocked 3.5 shots per game. He played in the All-Star Game that season.
When O’Neal won the award, he made an incredible comment that showed that he was going to be a bad man on the court for his entire career:
“When I retire and have kids, I can tell my kid, ‘I was wrong.'”
Praise for Shaquille O’Neal
Not only did Shaquille O’Neal put together an incredible rookie season, but there’s a good case to be made that he put together a top-10 career in NBA history. O’Neal averaged 23.7 points and shot 58.2%. O’Neal averaged 2.3 bpg and 10.9 rpg as well.
The accolades last long for O’Neal.
He was also the 1999-2000 MVP, a 15-time All-Star, a three-time All-Star Game MVP, a three-time Finals MVP award winner, a two-time scoring champion, and a 14-time All-NBA selection. O’Neal was also named an All-Defensive member three times.
What he did on both ends of the floor deserved all these awards, as he was simply one of the best the league has ever seen.
In the season that Shaquille O’Neal was named MVP, most, including himself, believed he deserved the award. However, there was someone who did not. He made sure to let the reporter know that he made a mistake in not voting for him, since O’Neal could have been a unanimous MVP.
“Fred Idiot Hickman,” O’Neal recalled on Monday’s episode of Fox Sports’ “Fair Game” with Kristine Leahy. “I hate him. I don’t need to talk to him. There’s nothing to apologize for because he destroyed the story by being a (expletive).
“Come on. There was nobody doing anything like what I was doing (in 1999-2000). (Hickman) screwed up the story… Then a couple of years ago, they’ll give Steph Curry the thumbs up.” (MVP). I love Steph. He is my boy. But we go”.
Despite not getting a voter’s vote, O’Neal won the award relatively easily and deservedly. He will go down as one of the NBA’s all-time greats and might even have a better TV personality now.