Michael Jordan took over the NBA world as he glided down the court, enchanting the spectators nightly. It was a sight to behold as “His Airness” conquered the hardwood using his unrivaled offensive arsenal. He spearheaded the Chicago Bulls to the summit, delivering six championships to the Windy City.

The work that the Bulls legend put in to perfect his craft was enormous. The ability to put the world in a spell of course took time to master; however, no obstacle stood firm in front of Jordan’s unwavering work ethic. Even the Detroit “Bad Boys” Pistons.

The late-1980s Detroit Pistons team was studded with some tough individuals who personified physical basketball. Every individual on the Pistons roster relished being the underdog and the spoiler.

They were a menace on the court. Even Jordan faced difficulties playing them in his early years, losing to them in the playoffs three years in a row. Therefore, a bulked-up MJ had to take over the situation.

Michael Jordan went through a dramatic body transformation during the early-1990s

The Detroit Pistons were dominating the late-1980 s with their rough, physical basketball. They won back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990, also defeating Michael Jordan and crew in the process. However, following a third consecutive playoff defeat to the Pistons, he decided to hit the weight room.

Michael Jordan worked tirelessly with his personal trainer, Tim Grover, throughout the 1990 offseason.

“I was getting brutally beaten up,” Jordan said in episode four of his docuseries “The Last Dance”. “And I wanted to administer pain. I wanted to start fighting back.”

Jordan was hesitant to lift weights because he was concerned it might mess up his shooting. He did, however, gain 15 pounds of muscle in one offseason owing to a stringent diet and upper-body conditioning. Jordan put in the hours to bring his weight from 200 to 215 and to better withstand the rigorous play of the Detroit Pistons.

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And fair to say, it was his time to be the “Bad Boy”. The 1991 playoffs saw a bulked-up Michael Jordan sweep the Detroit Pistons 4-0 and go on to win his first NBA championship.

There was no stopping him and the Bulls after that, as they went on to dominate the 1990s, winning six championships in eight seasons.

While the Pistons pushed Jordan to get in the greatest shape of his life, Shaquille O’Neal‘s life and fitness were turned upside down by a series of tragedies.

A slew of tragedies had Shaquille O’Neal in the worst shape of his life

Shaquille O’Neal was the embodiment of dominance during his playing days. He embraced being the big man as he crushed his opponents nightly. However, in 2020, it also led him down a dark path as weight became an issue for him.

The year 2020 brought a lot of misery to many people’s lives, including Shaq’s. His sister Ayesha lost her life after a long battle with cancer. In addition, his former teammate and dear friend, Kobe Bryant, also tragically passed away after a helicopter crash. This had Shaq stuck in a dark place.

As per the big man, food became a coping mechanism for him. As Shaq chowed down food day and night, he got into the worst shape of his life, weighing around 415 pounds. Hoping to steer his life in the right direction, he went to a doctor who gave him a harsh reality check. “Do you want to die?” the doctor questioned, and Shaq had a much-needed wake-up call.

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Following that, the Lakers icon pledged to get in shape at the age of 50. He began working out and eating healthier. His efforts resulted in his losing around 50 pounds. This was a positive turn in Shaq’s life after a period in which he was feeling very low.

What do you think of Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan’s body transformation? Let us know in the comments section below.