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Imago

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Imago

NBA franchises typically serve as a backdrop for a host of great players. Such is the nature of the sport that it is almost impossible for a team to stay irrelevant. But, on the grander end of that spectrum is a franchise like the Miami Heat. Whether it was Shaquille O’Neal and his championship season, or LeBron James and his utter dominance, Miami has been the backdrop for some truly iconic legends. And that is without taking into consideration the man who came to define the place – Dwyane Wade.

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With plans of expanding into the NBA ownership ranks, Rick Ross was quick to prove his knowledge of the sport. In an attempt to rank the 5 greatest players in Heat franchise history, his list was about as accurate as one could imagine. But could his prior connection to Shaq have played a factor in his rankings?

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However, the first name on his list wasn’t the big man. Instead, it was the same as Wade’s list. “Udonis Haslem – that’s real. He ain’t beat more motherf***ing asses than anybody out there. He kept them boys in check. A lot of them boys wouldn’t have made Hall of Fame if he didn’t keep people in check, though.” The next 3 were perhaps, in terms of talents, one of the greatest all-time trios you could assemble.

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Shaquille O’Neal – Big Shaq you already know. Dwyane Wade – you dig? LeBron James – you dig?” Then, the rapper would take a trip down memory lane, going old school for his final 2 picks. “Let’s shout out Sherman Douglas, okay? I went back on y’all…Let’s shout out Tim Hardaway.”

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Unfortunately for the Los Angeles Lakers legend, his earlier gift from Rick was not a sign of things to come. Nor did it guarantee his place atop these rankings.

A gift and a collab for Shaquille O’Neal

This past year, the biggest growth for the 4x NBA Champion has been in his music career. Whether it is a flourishing career in rap or bigger venues for DJ-ing gigs, Diesel is quickly becoming a household name on the scene.

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But, his biggest hit of the year might have been a feature in a returning collaboration between Meek Mill and Rick Ross. With an ode to Kobe Bryant in between, and a cameo from Damian Lillard, the entire song was a major hit.

And, to signify their bond, Ross gave the big man a big-time gift. A huge MMG pendant became part of the big man’s jewelry collection. Now the question is: would he trade the jewelry for a spot higher on the list?

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Read More: Jumping on Hit Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant Bandwagon, 6x NBA All-Star Endorses 9x Grammy Award Nominee

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Priyanshu

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Priyanshu is an NBA beat Writer at EssentiallySports, with a healthy command over the technical aspects of the sport. Priyanshu has creatively covered the often entertaining interactions between legends Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley along with in-depth analysis of the games. He was at the forefront of the 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony, covering each and every aspect of the historic night in Springfield, Massachusetts. Furthermore, his article on Shaq and the UFC garnered close to a million pageviews. Moving away from the world of sports, Priyanshu is also an avid gamer, who can display other-worldly skills on NBA 2K.

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