Shaquille O’Neal was an immediate sensation when he walked on an NBA court for the first time as a rookie with the Orlando Magic in 1992. The four-time NBA champ had the zeal for greatness and the passion to achieve legendary status. Shaq established his presence through his domination on the court despite being quite far from the championship during the early stages of his career. However, Shaq found himself amidst the legends of the game that he grew up watching. In his recent documentary, 7’1 Shaquille O’Neal opened up about locking horns with his childhood hero and New York Knicks legend, Patrick Ewing.

Shaquille O’Neal was a big fan of Patrick Ewing. The Los Angeles Lakers legend suggested that Ewing was like God to him and he worshipped the Knicks legend during his childhood. However, Shaq’s mindset changed completely when he faced Ewing for the first time in the NBA.

Shaquille O’Neal shares his experience of facing Ewing

In the first episode of his docuseries, From Shaquille to Shaq, while talking about Patrick Ewing, Shaquille O’Neal stated, “So when you looking at a god on TV, but then you see him in real life and realize that he is not a god. Now that so-called god is in trouble.”

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Shaq shared that watching Ewing play as an opponent transformed his admiration into a competition. He was ready to take on his childhood hero during his pursuit of greatness. The 15-time All-Star reckoned that the first time Patrick Ewing shot a fadeaway against him, Shaq felt he could block it. So the Lakers legend got closer to Ewing the next time he attempted a fadeaway and ended up denying the 11-time All-Star a shot.

Further, Shaquille O’Neal revealed, “My father said, ‘You show a person respect by showing them none. I don’t give a damn that’s Patrick Ewing. You’re Shaquille O’Neal.'”

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The Lakers legend seemed to have been inspired by his father’s words and showed up with his A-game against his childhood god. As a result, Ewing’s fadeaway was met with rejection, a sight that fans had not seen in a long time. However, taking down his childhood hero was not the only thing Shaq attained in his rookie season.

Shaq announced his arrival in his rookie season

Shaquille O’Neal grabbed the attention of the fans and experts with his exceptional performance for the Orlando Magic in his rookie season.

The NBA Hall of Famer averaged 23.4 points, with 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game in 81 appearances. The Big Diesel was named the Rookie of the Year for his brilliant performance in 1993. 

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Shaq marked his presence with his domination on the court in his rookie season, and it turned out to be merely the beginning of his legendary career.