Shaquille O Neal The Inspiring Story Of One Of Basketball S Greatest Centers

Learn the Inspiring Story of the Los Angeles Lakers' Legend Shaquille O'Neal! Read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet or Kindle device! In Shaquille O'Neal: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Greatest Centers, you will learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's greatest centers, Shaquille O'Neal. Often nicknamed "Shaq" or "The Diesel", O'Neal left an indelible mark on the center position. His incredible power and athleticism made him a practically unstoppable presence on both the offensive and defensive ends of the basketball court. It's no surprise O'Neal concluded his career a four-time NBA Champion. He was such a unique generational talent who could immediately change the course of a game. In this book, we'll learn more about Shaq's journey into the NBA, his impact on the game, and his legacy as one of the best to ever play at the center position. Here is a preview of what is inside this book: Childhood and Early Life High School Career College Career at LSU Shaq's Illustrious NBA Career: From Starting in Orlando, Achieving a Three-Peat in LA, to Bringing Miami the Championship International Career Post-Retirement Career Personal Life O'Neal's Impact and Legacy on Basketball An excerpt from the book: The NBA has had its share of dominant players that could lord over defenders and push around grown men inside the paint with ease. As they say, the NBA is a big man's league, and some of the best players the league has ever seen were among the greatest and most dominant men to have ever set foot on a hard wood floor. And wherever those dominant players went, success would usually follow. One of the NBA's pioneering dominant players was George Mikan, who played for what was then the Minneapolis Lakers back in the 50's. At 6'10" and 250 pounds, Mikan would not be considered one of the biggest players in today's era. But back then, he was already among the largest in the league. Nobody could stop him in the paint on his way to five NBA titles. The first truly dominant player in league history was Wilt Chamberlain. Standing above seven feet tall and weighing nearly 300 pounds of lean muscle mass, "Wilt the Stilt" used his height and strength advantage to bully players down under the basket. Chamberlain was rumored to be so strong that he could easily lift a man over 200 pounds using only one arm. He even once dunked the ball so hard that it broke an opposing player's toe. All of this strength and size were vital for Wilt Chamberlain to score 100 points in a single game. He even averaged over 50 points a game during one season while holding five of the top ten scoring averages in a single season. He was a man among boys back in the 60's era. Wilt would end up with two NBA titles, which he won during the twilight years of his career. During the 80's and 90's, Karl Malone would use his bodybuilder strength and muscle to push opposing power forwards around when he bulled his way to easy baskets inside the paint. Because of how well-conditioned and dominant of a player Malone was, he was able to stay active until the age of 40. Eventually, Malone finished second in most points ever scored in a career. Sadly, Malone was always the bridesmaid to Michael Jordan's bride as he would never win an NBA championship during his era. Tags: Shaquille O'Neal Bio, Shaq basketball, Los Angeles Lakers basketball, Miami Heat basketball, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson

Superman. Diesel. The Big Aristotle. Shaq Fu. The Big Daddy. The Big Shaqtus. Wilt Chamberneezy. The Real Deal. The Big Shamrock. Shaq. You know him by any number of names, and chances are you know all about his legendary basketball career: Shaquille "Shaq" O'Neal is a four-time NBA champion and a three-time NBA Finals MVP. After being an All-American at Louisiana State University, he was the overall number one draft pick in the NBA in 1992. In his 19-year career, Shaq racked up 28,596 career points (including 5,935 free throws!), 13,099 rebounds, 3,026 assists, 2,732 blocks, and 15 All-Star appearances. These are statistics that are almost as massive as the man himself. His presence-both physically and psychologically-made him a dominant force in the game for two decades. But if you follow the game, you also know that there's a lot more to Shaquille O'Neal than just basketball. Shaq is famous for his playful, and at times, provocative personality. He is, literally, outsize in both scale and persona. Whether rapping on any of his five albums, challenging celebrities on his hit television show "Shaq Vs.," studying for his PhD or serving as a reserve police officer, there's no question that Shaq has led a unique and multi-dimensional life. And in this rollicking new autobiography, Shaq discusses his remarkable journey, including his candid thoughts on teammates and coaches like Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Phil Jackson, and Pat Riley. From growing up in difficult circumstances and getting cut from his high school basketball team to his larger-than-life basketball career, Shaq lays it all out in Shaq Uncut: My Story.

It's rare to discover a candid sports autobiography-- even rare when the author is one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. But in Shaq Talks Back, Shaquille O'Neal for the first time talks frankly about his childhood, his life, his rivalries, and his career, culminating in a dramatic, behind-the-scenes account of the Los Angeles Lakers' drive to the NBA Championship. At seven feet one inch tall and 330 pounds, Shaq has always faced outsized expectations, even as a child when he towered over other kids. Shaq Talks Back is the story of how potential became reality-- how someone expected to be a champion finally learned to become one. Beginning with his memory of crying on the court after the Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers, Shaq takes us back to his younger days in Newark and Jersey City, New Jersey, then to Georgia and finally to Germany, where he began to harness some of his height and strength. From there, he recounts the remarkable progress of his basketball career, changing from a big but inexperienced teenager to a dominant college and professional player. Shaq talks about: * Playing at Louisiana State University for the unpredictable coach Dale Brown * Signing the biggest rookie contract ever with the Orlando Magic-- and going to the NBA Finals for the first time * What happened next: dissention, disappointment, and his decision to leave for Los Angeles * The dysfunctional Lakers who were never able to win the big games * Dealing with egos as he finds the right chemistry with Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson, and new additions to the team * Rivalries with Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and others * The trouble with free throws... * "Bling-bling" and women: the larger-than-life world of NBA players off the court * Inside the Lakers' comeback from the brink against Portland and the drive to the NBA championship Funny, insightful, opinionated, and unexpectedly moving, Shaq Talks Back is the true voice of the NBA's best player.

Read about the inspirational story of basketball's star, Kobe Bryant. Kobe Bryant has been the face of the Lakers dynasty for the past two decades and for good reason. Few players have commanded a basketball court as much as Kobe in historical performances such as his notable 81-point performance in just under 42 minutes of playing time in 2006 against the Toronto Raptors. Whenever Kobe Bryant decides to retire, he is not going to do so on his own terms as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Few players can parallel with Kobe Bryant in terms of competitive fire and will to win. His polarizing figure defines him and makes even those who do not like him at the very least respect him. Read on to learn about the days of when Kobe played alongside Shaquille O'Neal, Robert Horry, Metta World Peace, Derek Fisher, and Pau Gasol in some of the greatest times of Los Angeles Lakers' basketball history.

NBA champion, sports analyst, and successful businessman Shaquille O'Neal is a lively and entertaining addition to the #1 New York Times Bestselling Series! Shaquille O'Neal discovered his love of basketball while spending time in an afterschool program called the Boys & Girls Club of America. Standing over six feet tall by the time he turned eleven years old, Shaq--as he is affectionately known--continued to practice the game and stunned the country with his phenomenal skills. From leading his high-school team to its first-ever state title to becoming the first pick in the 1992 NBA draft and going on to win four NBA championships, Shaq proved that he could dominate almost any player. But the fifteen-time All Star who played for six teams throughout his nineteen-year NBA career isn't just a force on the court, he is also an actor, television host, musician, and businessman who is always ready to crack a joke or bust a dance move. With such a welcoming personality and immense talent, it is easy to see why Shaquille O'Neal is often considered one of the greatest players in NBA history.

"Traces the life of one of the most legendary basketball players in the history of the sport, drawing upon interviews with Jordan's friends, family, and teammates, and following his career from college to the NBA."--Provide by publisher.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The NBA according to The Sports Guy—now updated with fresh takes on LeBron, the Celtics, and more! Foreword by Malcom Gladwell • “The work of a true fan . . . it might just represent the next phase of sports commentary.”—The Atlantic Bill Simmons, the wildly opinionated and thoroughly entertaining basketball addict known to millions as ESPN’s The Sports Guy, has written the definitive book on the past, present, and future of the NBA. From the age-old question of who actually won the rivalry between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to the one about which team was truly the best of all time, Simmons opens—and then closes, once and for all—every major pro basketball debate. Then he takes it further by completely reevaluating not only how NBA Hall of Fame inductees should be chosen but how the institution must be reshaped from the ground up, the result being the Pyramid: Simmons’s one-of-a-kind five-level shrine to the ninety-six greatest players in the history of pro basketball. And ultimately he takes fans to the heart of it all, as he uses a conversation with one NBA great to uncover that coveted thing: The Secret of Basketball. Comprehensive, authoritative, controversial, hilarious, and impossible to put down (even for Celtic-haters), The Book of Basketball offers every hardwood fan a courtside seat beside the game’s finest, funniest, and fiercest chronicler.

"Through candor and comprehensiveness, Jackson writes a convincing revisionist take, in which he emerges as an excellent coach . . . highly readable . . . reflects Jackson’s polymathy." —The New York Times Book Review "Part sports memoir, part New Age spirit quest, part pseudo-management tract . . . But the primary thing with Jackson—as with all the old bards, who were also known for repeating themselves—is the voice." —Sam Anderson, The New York Times Magazine A New York Times Bestseller The inside story of one of basketball's most legendary and game-changing figures During his storied career as head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson won more championships than any coach in the history of professional sports. Even more important, he succeeded in never wavering from coaching his way, from a place of deep values. Jackson was tagged as the “Zen master” half in jest by sportswriters, but the nickname speaks to an important truth: this is a coach who inspired, not goaded; who led by awakening and challenging the better angels of his players’ nature, not their egos, fear, or greed. This is the story of a preacher’s kid from North Dakota who grew up to be one of the most innovative leaders of our time. In his quest to reinvent himself, Jackson explored everything from humanistic psychology and Native American philosophy to Zen meditation. In the process, he developed a new approach to leadership based on freedom, authenticity, and selfless teamwork that turned the hypercompetitive world of professional sports on its head. In Eleven Rings, Jackson candidly describes how he: • Learned the secrets of mindfulness and team chemistry while playing for the champion New York Knicks in the 1970s • Managed Michael Jordan, the greatest player in the world, and got him to embrace selflessness, even if it meant losing a scoring title • Forged successful teams out of players of varying abilities by getting them to trust one another and perform in sync • Inspired Dennis Rodman and other “uncoachable” personalities to devote themselves to something larger than themselves • Transformed Kobe Bryant from a rebellious teenager into a mature leader of a championship team. Eleven times, Jackson led his teams to the ultimate goal: the NBA championship—six times with the Chicago Bulls and five times with the Los Angeles Lakers. We all know the legendary stars on those teams, or think we do. What Eleven Rings shows us, however, is that when it comes to the most important lessons, we don’t know very much at all. This book is full of revelations: about fascinating personalities and their drive to win; about the wellsprings of motivation and competition at the highest levels; and about what it takes to bring out the best in ourselves and others.