When one thinks of LSU basketball, the first names that come to mind are “Pistol” Pete Maravich, Bob Petit, and Shaquille O’Neal. While the self proclaimed “Big AARP” only recently decided to be the newest member of the TNT broadcast crew upon retirement, he will now forever be immortalized at his alma mater Louisiana State University, now that the university has erected a gigantic bronze statue of his likeness in front of the team’s practice facility in Baton Rouge, LA.
Back in May of 2011, we were one of the first to break the news that LSU was in the process of designing a life-size statue of the one time Tiger great. Shaq played for legendary coach Dale Brown from ’89-’02, averaging 21 ppg, 13 rebs, and nearly 2 blocks per game in twice earning All American honors and was a 2 time SEC Player of the Year. Amazingly Shaq is still one of the many few big men to record a triple double in a college game.
In a press conference attended by O’Neal and his family, the future NBA Hall of Famer admitted he was shocked by the sheer size of the 900lb statue and admitted he was proud to be part of a basketball fraternity that includes Pistol Pete, Chris Jackson, and Stanley Roberts.
The larger than life likeness captures O’Neal in a signature action pose, dunking with two hands, knees cocked up in the air, where he typically inflicts punishment on the rim. Who can forget how many times he literally used his amazing brute force to bring down the rim during his early career.
Check out Shaquille O’Neal’s LSU Mixtape:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
