NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is one of the best big men to have ever graced the hardwood. He was a force to be reckoned with during his prime. And was a nightmare matchup for his opponents. The Hall of Famer dominated both ends of the court with authority. However, the legends that came before him paved the way for Shaq. And some of the all-time greats of the game, like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, had a major influence on his game.

The recent demise of Bill Russell has saddened the NBA world so deeply. Recently, O’Neal joined ‘The Rich Eisen Show,’ and talked about the Boston Celtics legend. During the talk, Shaq revealed how Russell was the first legendary big man to be nice to him. He said that Russell was one of the nicest guys he had ever met.

At the end of the show, the host asked Shaq whether the #6 should be retired throughout the league. And the Big Diesel that it should be retired by the league. Similarly, Magic Johnson requested the same on social media.

Shaquille O’Neal talks about the legendary Bill Russell

The host asked Shaq whether the NBA should do something similar to what the MLB did when they retired #42 in honor of the legendary Jackie Robinson.

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O’Neal said, “I would say yes. Adam Silver is a fine gentleman. I know he’s going to do the right thing. But that’s a good recommendation, Rich. And I think you should put that out…” In 1997, MLB retired #42 to honor Jackie Robinson.

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With the two Lakers legends requesting retiring Russell’s number, it looks like it is only a matter of time before others join in. During the podcast, he also admitted that Bill Russell and other legends before him paved the way. Shaq also said that Russell made him realize he was a spoiled brat.

He said that Russell faced hardships, like not being able to share the same hotel as his teammates and people throwing things at him, death threats, etc. The Lakers legend said that this made him stop complaining. He also admitted that he is able to earn so much because of the players before him, like Russell, Abdul-Jabbar, Magic, Barkley, etc.

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After realizing some of the legendary players before him, like Russell, only made a quarter of what Shaq’s making, he decided to play harder for the legends.