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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 09: Shaquille O’Neal attends the WBC heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder at T-Mobile Arena on October 09, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 09: Shaquille O’Neal attends the WBC heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder at T-Mobile Arena on October 09, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The 1992 NBA draft class produced some absolute legends of the game. Out of the various prospects who aspired to make it big in the NBA, the #1 overall pick was pretty much in the bag for an LSU youngster. You guessed it right, it was Shaquille O’Neal. As everyone expected, he was drafted by the Orlando Magic as the #1 overall pick. As is always the case, prior to the NBA draft, the prospects indulge in a number of workouts and training sessions which sometimes last weeks and O’Neal surely left a huge mark on the proceedings in 1992, as per a 7x NBA Champion.
During a recent appearance on the All The Smoke podcast, 7x NBA champion Robert Horry talked about his iconic draft class. Interestingly, he also recounted a hilarious incident involving Shaq which left all the other prospects terrified of him.
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Horry recounts an old Shaquille O’Neal story which shows his dominance
Robert Horry is well aware of what 7’1 tall Shaq is capable of. However, it seems like one of his friends present in the 1992 NBA draft wasn’t aware of Shaq’s prowess.

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ORLANDO, FL – 1993: Shaquille O’Neal #32 of the Orlando Magic poses with Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls prior to playing an NBA game circ 1993 at the TD WAterhouse Centre in Orlando, Florida. Copyright 1993 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Oliver Miller, who played 10 seasons in the NBA, played a prank on Shaq during one of their workouts in Chicago. This was prior to the NBA draft but everyone was well aware that O’Neal was on his way to becoming the #1 overall pick.
During the podcast, Horry said, “You know in Chicago you have all these workouts, so you have to do the treadmill test. It’s me, Oliver Miller, Todd Day and we are all hanging out and we are all talking about SEC. Shaq’s on the treadmill and he had just got to the point where we went to the third level. Oliver says watch this and goes over and unplugs the thing and Shaq almost falls.”
The 7x NBA champion then recounted how Shaq intimidated everyone in the gym who was laughing. Moreover, he was asked to do the test again, and naturally, the big man didn’t want to indulge again. Horry said, “Shaq was like, ‘Do it again. F**k that m*****f***er, I’m out of here’ and he left. After that everyone is like, Shaq’s leaving? We all f***ing leaving!”
Interestingly, the former Los Angeles Lakers star recounted that everyone followed Shaq because he was bound to be the #1 pick. Shaq, who had failed to go pro once, was indeed the 1992 #1 overall pick.
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How good was Shaq in his rookie year?
There are not many players who were as good as Shaq in his rookie year. During the 1991-92 NBA season, the Orlando Magic finished dead last in the Eastern Conference.
The very next season, Shaq took them to the next level. The Magic finished 8th in the standings and clinched a playoff spot. The rookie averaged 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while also making it to the All-Star game!
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WATCH THIS STORY: Laying Off Entire Staff, Shaquille O’Neal’s $400,000,000 Net Worth and WNBA Legend’s Charm Couldn’t Save Company From the Worst Fate Possible
What is your favorite memory of Shaquille O’Neal? Let us know in the comments below.
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