How Many NBA Teams Did Shaq Play For?

We all know Shaquille O’Neal as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. But did you know that he actually played for six different NBA teams during his career? Here’s a look at all the teams Shaq played for during his Hall of Fame career.

Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal played for six teams during his NBA career. Shaq was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. He spent four seasons with the Magic, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1992-93. Shaq was then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996.

Early Life

Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal was born on March 6, 1972, in Newark, New Jersey, to Lucille O’Neal and Joseph Toney. His mother never married his father and they separated when Shaq was just an infant. He was raised by his mother and stepfather, Phillip Harrison, a career Army sergeant. When he was just eight years old, the family moved from Newark to military bases in Germany and Texas before settling in San Antonio, Texas, where Shaq attended Cole High School. He first started playing organized basketball when he was nine years old.

In 1989, Shaq graduated from high school and enrolled at Louisiana State University on a scholarship. He quickly became one of the most dominant players in college basketball. During his sophomore year, he helped lead the LSU Tigers to the NCAA championship game where they lost to Duke University.

College Career

Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal (/ʃəˈkiːl/ shə-KEEL; born March 6, 1972), nicknamed Shaq (/ʃæk/ SHAK), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA on TNT. He is widely considered one of the greatest players in National Basketball Association (NBA) history. At 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall and 325 pounds (147 kg), he was one of the tallest and heaviest players ever.

O’Neal played for six teams throughout his 19-year NBA career.

-1992–1996: Orlando Magic
-1996–2004: Los Angeles Lakers
-2004–2008: Miami Heat
-2008–2009: Phoenix Suns
-2009–2010: Cleveland Cavaliers
-2010–2011: Boston Celtics

NBA Career

Shaquille O’Neal was one of the most dominant players in NBA history. He was a 7-foot-1 center who could shoot, rebound and block shots with the best of them. He won four NBA championships, three with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat. He was also a 15-time All-Star and the league MVP in 2000.

O’Neal began his NBA career with the Orlando Magic in 1992. He spent four seasons with the Magic, leading them to the NBA Finals in 1995. He then spent eight seasons with the Lakers, where he won three titles. After a brief stint with the Heat, he finished his career with the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

In all, Shaq played for six different teams during his 19-yearNBA career.

Shaq’s NBA Teams

Shaquille O’Neal, also known as Shaq, is a retired professional basketball player who played for six teams throughout his 19-year career in the NBA. He began his career with the Orlando Magic, then played for the Los Angeles Lakers, the Miami Heat, the Phoenix Suns, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and finally the Boston Celtics.

Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic is an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The franchise was established in 1989 as an expansion franchise, and such notable NBA stars as Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway, Patrick Ewing, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Steve Francis, Dwight Howard, Vince Carter have played for the club throughout its young history. As of 2020, the franchise has played in the NBA Finals three times: in 1995 (losing to the Houston Rockets), in 2009 (losing to the Los Angeles Lakers), and in 2010 (beating the Lakers).

Los Angeles Lakers

From 1996 to 2004, Shaquille O’Neal played for the Los Angeles Lakers, winning three NBA championships. He was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004, where he won his fourth NBA championship in 2006.

Miami Heat

Shaquille O’Neal, aka Shaq, is a retired professional basketball player. He is widely considered one of the greatest players in NBA history. During his 19-year career, Shaq played for six different teams.

Shaq started his NBA career with the Orlando Magic, where he spent four seasons. He then spent a season with the Los Angeles Lakers, before being traded to the Miami Heat, where he spent four seasons. Shaq won his first NBA championship with the Lakers in 2000, and won three more championships with the Heat between 2006 and 2008.

In 2004, Shaq was traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he played for three and a half seasons. He was then traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009, where he played for one and a half seasons. In 2010, Shaq signed with the Boston Celtics, where he played until he retired in 2011.

Phoenix Suns

Shaquille O’Neal was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the 1st overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft. He quickly became one of the best players in the league, winning Rookie of the Year and leading the Magic to the playoffs in his first season. Shaq continued to improve, and in his third season he was named MVP of the NBA after averaging 29.3 points per game. The Magic made it to the NBA Finals in 1995, but lost in four games to the Houston Rockets.

O’Neal became unhappy with his contract situation in Orlando, and after failing to agree to a new deal he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996. Shaq teamed up with Kobe Bryant, and together they would go on to win three straight NBA championships from 2000-2002. O’Neal was named Finals MVP all three years, and also won regular season MVP in 2000.

In 2004 Shaq was traded to the Miami Heat, where he won another championship in 2006. He then spent a couple of seasons with the Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers before retiring in 2011.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Shaquille O’Neal, nicknamed “Shaq”, is a retired professional American basketball player who is currently an analyst on the television program Inside the NBA. He is widely considered one of the greatest players in National Basketball Association (NBA) history. At 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall and325 pounds (147 kg), he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA. Throughout his 19-year NBA career, O’Neal used his size and strength to overpower opponents for points and rebounds. He also was one of the most dominant defensive players in the history of the game, winning three consecutive NBA Finals MVP Awards, as well as the 1999–2000 NBA MVP Award.

Shaq played for six teams during his NBA career: the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

Boston Celtics

Shaquille O’Neal was traded to the Boston Celtics in the summer of 2004. The move reunites O’Neal with his former coach Doc Rivers, who coached the Orlando Magic when O’Neal won his first NBA Championship in 1995.

Shaq’s Legacy

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most dominant players in NBA history. He is a four-time NBA champion, a two-time Finals MVP, and a one-time league MVP. Shaq is also one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. But how many NBA teams did Shaq play for during his career?

NBA Championships

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most dominant players in the history of the NBA. He played for six teams over his 19-year NBA career and won four championships.

O’Neal was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. He quickly emerged as one of the league’s best players, averaging 23.7 points and 13.6 rebounds per game en route to being named Rookie of the Year. He helped lead the Magic to the playoffs in his second season, but they were swept in the first round by the Indiana Pacers.

In 1996, O’Neal signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. He teamed up with fellow superstar Kobe Bryant to form one of the most potent duos in NBA history. The duo led the Lakers to three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002. Shaq won Finals MVP each year and was named league MVP in 2000.

After a contract dispute with Lakers owner Jerry Buss, O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat prior to the start of the 2004-05 season. He teamed up with Dwyane Wade to win his fourth championship in 2006, defeating the Dallas Mavericks in six games. O’Neal retired from the NBA in 2011 after brief stints with the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.

NBA All-Star Games

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most dominant players in NBA history. He was a force to be reckoned with on the court, and his larger-than-life personality made him a global star. Shaq played for six different teams during his Hall of Fame career, but he truly left his mark on the game as an All-Star.

Shaq was selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game a total of 15 times, which is tied for the third most in league history. He was named the All-Star Game MVP three times, which is also tied for the third most in NBA history. Shaq’s 15 All-Star appearances are the most by any center in league history. He is also one of just four players in NBA history to be named an All-Star in at least 14 consecutive seasons.

Shaq was not just an All-Star player, he was also an All-Star entertainer. He is widely known for his jaw-dropping dunks and his fun personality, both of which were on full display during his many All-Star appearances. Shaq wowed crowds with his dunking ability and won the Slam Dunk Contest twice, in back-to-back years (1992 and 1993). He was also a part of one of the most iconic moments in All-Star Game history, when he caught a pass from then teammate Kobe Bryant and dunked over then Charlotte Hornets center Alonzo Mourning.

NBA MVP

Shaquille O’Neal is a retired professional basketball player who is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time. He is best known for his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he won three NBA championships. He was also named the NBA Finals MVP all three times. O’Neal played for six other teams throughout his career, including the Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers.