Times wires
Thursday, June 2, 2011
MIAMI — Shaquille O'Neal won his last championship with Dwyane Wade. He tried to help LeBron James win his first ring in Cleveland.
Seems like the Big Fella is still rooting for his former teammates.
Hours after Wade and James took a break from preparing for Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Thursday to speak of their fond memories of playing with O'Neal in Miami and Cleveland, the retiring center posted a video on Twitter thanking them for their kind words and telling them to beat the Mavericks in the title series.
"LeBron, D-Wade, I saw the comments you guys said about me," O'Neal said in the short clip, one of several he has made since using Twitter to announce his retirement Wednesday. "Appreciate it very much. It was an honor playing with you two guys. You guys made me better. You guys are legends, future Hall of Famers. Go get that ring, baby. Love you guys. Peace."
The Heat honored O'Neal by playing a video montage of some of his best moments in Miami — including the scene at the 2006 championship parade — during a first-quarter timeout of Thursday's game.
O'Neal and Wade spent parts of four seasons together in Miami. O'Neal was with James in Cleveland for the 2009-10 season. He will formally announce his retirement at his home near Orlando today.
"As a teammate, as I've always been, I was just always appreciative of the opportunity to play with one of the greats to ever put on an NBA jersey," Wade said. "I really learned a lot from him as a professional. We had some great years together. Humbled and totally honored to have been a teammate. But as a fan, seeing the dominance of what he did will never be forgotten."
James and O'Neal had a relationship that began long before they were teammates in Cleveland, both respecting the other for his basketball and business sides.
"His 19 years in this league goes unprecedented," James said, "what he was able to do for this league not only on the court, but off the court. I think he's probably one of the only big men to ever play this game to be able to market and to be able to be marketable off the court. He sold shoes. He did movies. He did a lot of things off the court."
"Don't forget rap," Wade interjected.
"He rapped, too," James said, laughing. "Sold records. He did a lot. He did everything. His personality is definitely something I gravitated toward … even before I had him as a teammate."
Wade and James know O'Neal will remain in the spotlight somehow.
"This won't be the last time we see Shaq," Wade said.
Mavericks center Brendan Haywood said he has always a fan of O'Neal and not just because the 15-time All-Star center once offered him a loan.
"I remember meeting him on the elevator my rookie year, and he asked me, 'Are you good? Is your family good? Do you need any money?' " Haywood said. "I was like, 'No, I'm good Shaq, but thanks for offering.' "
The Mavs' Dirk Nowitzki also admires O'Neal for his personality.
"Over the years, being in the same locker room in the All-Star Games, he's one of the funniest characters this league has ever seen," Nowitzki said. "He always had something funny to say; always made you smile, made you laugh."
Meanwhile, the third member of the Heat's Big Three, Chris Bosh, said he's delighted to be so close to his first championship. In his seven seasons with the Raptors, he reached the playoffs twice and lost in the first round both times.
"I'm noticing how the level of play changes," said Bosh, who entering Thursday was averaging 18.6 points and 8.9 rebounds in the playoffs. "I'm trying to be the best I can be, elevating my game and intensity and becoming a better player."