Have you ever wondered why nobody dares to hang on the NBA rims as they used to, in the years gone by? Believe it or not, Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal has played his part in ensuring that nobody is exerting their weight on the rim. Courtesy of his powerhouse build, Shaq has forced the league to bring in rules, in order to maintain safe decorum. But what exactly prompted such a drastic measure?

By the time he was aged 13, Shaquille O’Neal was already 6’6, and weighed more than most of his classmates. The closest thing to a boulder that the NBA has witnessed, he still put up insane numbers of 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists during his career.

Playing as a center, such stats in attack were truly spellbinding; especially considering that his defensive prowess was already second to none. Winning four titles along the way, he added his name to that of the league’s elite stars.

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Shaquille O’Neal forced the NBA to prevent rim hanging

Back in the 1990s, players went rogue in the league. With monstrous physicality and unthinkable dunks, hundreds of baskets were destroyed. And one of the prime culprits was the Lakers‘ ‘Big Aristotle’ himself.

Currently weighing around 325 lbs, O’Neal was quite heavy back then, too. Now imagine such a load on the back board every time there was a destructive dunk. Simply put, the NBA couldn’t afford the broken baskets every other night.

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Because of the damage caused by Shaq, authorities made it a point not to allow players to hang on the rim for too long after a dunk. Now, if you’re seen extending your follow through after a dunk on the rim, referees will surely call a technical foul.

In an interview, Olympic Committee Chairman Rod Thorn reiterated, “We’re gonna make sure that all of the equipment is up to snuff. Whether it was Shaquille O’Neal or someone else, with the size of these guys, it was just a matter of time.”

As a result, Shaq has forced the league into changing its rules completely. Did you know that Shaq even made a tree out of several rims that he had broken? If not, check it out!

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