MIAMI >> The towering big man held back tears as he watched the Miami Heat retire his No. 32 jersey.
Shaquille O’Neal clearly relished the Heat honoring him at halftime of its game against the Lakers on Thursday at American Airlines Arena. Yet, O’Neal offered some signals he associates himself more with the purple and gold.
O’Neal considered his first NBA championship with the Lakers in 2000 as the most special. He ranked his NBA title with the Miami Heat (2006) in second place. With the Lakers unveiling his statue outside of Staples Center on March 24, 2017, O’Neal credited former Lakers general manager Jerry West for making him aware of what his legacy could be.