Shaq would prefer to have his Number retired in LA over Miami, Orlando, PHX

[Don Jacob]

By J.A. Adande | ESPN.com

LOS ANGELES -- Among the many things Shaquille O'Neal likes to take credit for is the construction of Staples Center, which was completed after his third season with the Lakers. As he yelled to Snoop Dogg in Shaq's first game back with the Miami Heat, "I built this [expletive]!"

It was hard to escape Shaq's legacy at Staples Center on Sunday. He was in town with the Phoenix Suns to play the Clippers in the afternoon game, and the evening featured a matchup of his former teams, the Lakers and Miami Heat. When I reminded Shaq of this unique confluence he went around the Suns' locker room shaking hands as if he'd just won an award. If it's rare for such a superstar to play for four teams (can it really be almost 13 years since he left Orlando?) it might be an even greater oddity that none of the four is a guarantee to retire his jersey when he's done.

Orlando was his first team, the place where he wreaked havoc on backboards and produced his greatest highlights (such as, say, these) a franchise he led to the only NBA Finals appearance in its history. Yet he also left the Magic in the lurch, the most significant free-agent departure in NBA history.

Shaq had his best years in Los Angeles, winning three consecutive championships and his lone Most Valuable Player award. But this breakup was even more acrimonious, an inevitable result of his feud with Kobe Bryant, a departure further sullied by cheap shots he took at owner Jerry Buss and the city of Los Angeles.

He was a big part of the Heat's first NBA championship; then his body broke down and Miami shipped him out to the desert, after which more critiques of his former team followed.

Shaq instantly became the best center in the Suns' big-man-deficient history, even at this late stage of his career. He hasn't done enough to warrant a ceremony there (although he does deserve to play in the All-Star Game at USAirways Center next month). That would be like thinking of Ice Cube as representing the Westside Connection instead of N.W.A.

So where would Shaq prefer to have his giant jersey hang?

"Hopefully it'll be here," he said, walking through the hallway in Staples Center. "I was part of the greatest one-two punch in Laker history. Hopefully they still remember that.

"In a perfect world, I have four teams, I'd be the first guy standing there with all four jerseys, number retired in all four places. It's not something I really think about. If I had my first wish, it would be here. Because when I first came here, I made the statement I would love to have my name next to Kareem and those greats."

The phrase O'Neal used to use was "I want to be on both sides of the Forum", meaning the wall where they hung the championship banners and the wall where they hung the retired numbers. The team's venue has changed. The sentiment hasn't. At some point he and the Lakers will have to put their differences aside and do the right thing. Three championships are three championships.

[MontrealCity's Most]

understandable

[Antonio]

Of course. He won 3 rings and 3 MVP throphies in L.A.
He deserves it.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

definitely should have his number retired in LA...LOL@the thought of Phoenix retiring it.

[OG Hack Wilson]

why would Phoenix retire his #?

or Orlando

[DJ SUGAFREE QUIK]

why would Phoenix retire his #?

or Orlando

Well its not gonna be in Orlando cause he sold them out.  And Phoenix, he is the Suns greatest center in their history.  Last good center they ever had was Mark West.  And He & Kobe were not the greatest 1-2 punch in Laker history.  Magic & Kareem is.

[Kool Beenz]

figures

[OG Hack Wilson]

why would Phoenix retire his #?

or Orlando

Well its not gonna be in Orlando cause he sold them out.  And Phoenix, he is the Suns greatest center in their history.  Last good center they ever had was Mark West.  And He & Kobe were not the greatest 1-2 punch in Laker history.  Magic & Kareem is.

he's better than Alonzo ever was for the Heat

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

why would Phoenix retire his #?

or Orlando

Well its not gonna be in Orlando cause he sold them out.  And Phoenix, he is the Suns greatest center in their history.  Last good center they ever had was Mark West.  And He & Kobe were not the greatest 1-2 punch in Laker history.  Magic & Kareem is.

he's better than Alonzo ever was for the Heat

not even close

[GangstaBoogy]

It would be hilarious if the Lakers said "sorry, the we're too Hollywood to hang his jersey in our raptors, but Kobe's #8 will be up next season".

[DJ SUGAFREE QUIK]

It would be hilarious if the Lakers said "sorry, the we're too Hollywood to hang his jersey in our raptors, but Kobe's #8 will be up next season".

Well it would serve him right though.  After he was traded to the Heat he gon say that L.A. is a fake city & some other stuff.   He the one that wanted to come to this fake city.  Even though a lot of the Laker fans hated him anyway.  They & Jim Rome talked a whole lotta junk about him on the Magic & when he went to the Lakers, Rome & those same Laker fans who were dissing him were tonguing his butt like candy well more like Dick Vitale & Puke[Duke], well more like ESPN & the all world special Texas Faghorns. 

[west koasting]

Of course

[thisoneguy360]

Well that's a no brainer