Shaquille O'Neal talks strongest handshakes, lifting, and more.

[jongib369]

"The NBA returns in October. So we grill one of the league’s Opens in New Windowall-time greats, Saquille O’Neal Opens in New Window, about his best dunks, toughest opponents, and biggest regrets.

When you burst into the NBA in 1992, the league had never seen anything like you: a true seven-footer who could move like a guard and destroy backboards at will. Are you the strongest player in basketball history?

I’ve heard it’s between me and Wilt Chamberlain. But you know what’s crazy? I shake a lot of the old guys’ hands, and they try to break my hand. The guy with the strongest handshake is Artis Gilmore. Bill Russell has a strong handshake, too. And so did Wilt.

What’s the greatest strength feat of your life?

When I was about 14 years old, one of my friends got hit by a car. He was under it a little bit. It was a small car—like a Volkswagen Bug—but I lifted it up just enough for him to get his leg out.

Which of your dunks impresses you the most?

The dunk versus the New Jersey Nets [in 1993] when I tore the whole backboard off. I wasn’t even trying to rip it down—the whole thing just broke off.

In your prime, how much could you bench-press?

My max was 475. I’m up to 415 now. I’ve got a bad shoulder Opens in New Window, but I’m trying to get back to that. In my prime, I did it twice.

How often do you train nowadays?

I was training every day after the season. Then I took a week off to take the kids to the Bahamas. I started back up recently. I know I need to lose weight, but I don’t want to get skinny. So I’m bulking up. I want to get muscular like a WWE wrestler. I’ve been lifting and eating right—you know, just trying to get swole, because I don’t want to lose 50 pounds and be skinny. I want to be all muscle. I want to take my shirt off one last time.

Do you have a favorite exercise?

The bench press and swimming. I don’t run because my knees are banged up, so I do a lot of riding the bike and a lot of elliptical.

Got any training tips?

You just gotta train smart, and you gotta be knowledgeable. When I was young, I didn’t have knowledge, I didn’t want knowledge. But now that I’m getting older, I’m doing a lot of simple stuff that I wish I would’ve done when I was playing.

During your playing days, did you hit the gym a lot?

I never hit the gym.

Why?

You get beat up during the season. I was too tired to waste energy lifting weights.

Who’s the strongest player you ever lined up against?

Charles Oakley.

You’re a self-confessed doughnut lover and even a global ambassador for Krispy Kreme. But we’re guessing doughnuts were not part of your pregame meal.

My pregame meal in my earlier days was a turkey club sandwich and fries. Then I was on the plane one night, and I discovered a new word: tryptophan. It’s in turkey, and basically, it gets you sleepy. Then I read that Michael Jordan Opens in New Windowhad a steak before every game because it helped give him energy in the fourth quarter. So from 1999 to the end of my career, I always had a steak.

We’re not sure if you heard— the announcement sort of flew under the radar—but LeBron James is now a Laker. Do you anticipate his jersey hanging in the rafters next to yours one day?

If he wins a championship, it will. If he doesn’t win any, no.

Think he’ll eventually have a statue outside Staples Center next to yours?

If he wins one or two championships, he will."

Source

I'm imagining Shaq meeting Russell for the first time being taken off guard by Russells old man death grip, then trying to pull away only for Russell to Squeeze harder while making direct eye contact, and giving him that laugh

https://www.bing.com/th?id=OIP.KGDg9...7&pid=Api&rs=1

[Loco 50]

Big fellas gotta end the bulking phase and enter cutting phase soon.

He's getting too old to be that outta shape and remain healthy.

[Artillery]

During your playing days, did you hit the gym a lot?

I never hit the gym.

[Rico2016]

Imagine if Shaq had more discipline and took nutrtition/gym seriously?

[ILLsmak]

Glad to see it. I remember arguing w my football weight lifter friend and he was like no way could Shaq ever hit 400. In some ways I understand cuz his arms but that's his whole body type and he weighed like 350+. There's no ****in way that dude could not hit 400. That's some grade a nonsense. Or course dude would prol say Shaq is lying.

-Smak

[tpols]

pretty amazing that a guy that looks like this could be that way without lifting.



GOAT physical genetics.

[Smoke117]

If Shaq had any worth ethic he could have been the Greatest of all time. He was just lazy, though, especially defensively. He should have been up there with Hakeem and Robinson defensively, but just didn't want to put in the work.

[ILLsmak]

If Shaq had any worth ethic he could have been the Greatest of all time. He was just lazy, though, especially defensively. He should have been up there with Hakeem and Robinson defensively, but just didn't want to put in the work.

I agree kinda re: stam/durability, but as I always say in these threads, he's top 10 easy, he was the best big of his generation. He shit on all of the old bigs and he shit on most of the new bigs when he was older.

How much better could he have been, really? I mean, if he was 5% better, he would have dominated a lot more, but is that really worth it? Maybe he just wanted to live his life, rap, be a celeb, then cool down by busting everyone's ass. Maybe he would have turned out to be better as a player if he, like a lot of the all time greats, had to go through the adversity of facing a team/player he couldn't beat. Sure, he was like that with MJ's bulls, but so was everyone else.

If he ever faced real comp, that probably would have been what motivated him. If he had come into the league in like 82 instead of 92, that would have been v interesting.

-Smak

[90sgoat]

Shaq really should dedicate himself to stronglifting.

He has the perfect size and strength for it. I wonder who is bigger, him or The Mountain.