Why did Shaq wear 34?

Magic Johnson, the same player O'Neal joked about emulating while running the fast break in Orlando. O'Neal chose number 34 for his stint in LA. Shaq entered his Golden Years in LA, winning three titles from 2000 through 2002. The break-up with LA was a little rough and mirrored the Orlando fiasco.

Why did Shaq choose number 34?

Shaquille O'Neal

His alternative choice, No. 33, was his jersey number when he attended Louisiana State University, but that jersey was retired in honor of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Shaq ultimately decided on No. 34 because that was the number his stepfather wore in the Army.

Did Shaq ever wear 34?

Shaq started his NBA journey with the Orlando Magic wearing No 32 (and won a title using that number with the Miami Heat) and finished sporting as No 36 for the Boston Celtics - but it is his time sporting No 34 for the Los Angeles Lakers that marks the pinnacle of his career.

Why do people wore 32 in Magic?

And by Magic, of course, that would be referring to NBA legend Magic Johnson. “My favorite player was always Magic Johnson,” Hill said. “I found out that he wore 32 when he was in high school, so I wore 32.

Who is 34 in the NBA?

34: Shaquille O'Neal (Lakers)

Shaq Gets Quizzed on His Old Jersey Numbers | EJ's Neat-O Stat

Is number 34 retired for the Lakers?

32), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (No. 33), Shaquille O'Neal (No. 34), James Worthy (No. 42), Jerry West (No.

Why do big men wear number 34?

Giannis's jersey number is 34 because his father was born in 1963, and his mother was born in 1964. : r/nba.

Why do basketball players wear 33?

Larry Bird, a Hall of Famer, sported No. 33 for the entirety of his legendary 13-year NBA career — one of the greatest stretches of basketball, from his 1980 Rookie of the Year through his 10th and final All-Star appearance, filled with three straight MVP seasons and three NBA titles in between.

Did the Bulls retire 23?

The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat retired the number 23 in honor of Michael Jordan. Jordan never played for the Miami Heat. Jordan is one of the 14 people to have a number retired by two different teams.

Why did Kobe Bryant change his number?

The number change became a "clean slate" after Shaquille O'Neal was traded in 2004. With it came a new mindset from the future Hall of Famer. "Then 24 is a growth from that," he explained. "Physical attributes aren't there the way they used to be, but the maturity level is greater.

Why did Lebron change his number?

6 for the first time in games as a Laker, James explained why he made the switch. “It's always been a part of me, to be honest,” James said. “Six has a lot of meaning to me, from my family and numbers and things of that nature to what I believe in and things of that sort, but my mentality doesn't change.”

What does 34 mean in football?

During that week, the NFL held ceremonies in honor of him in every game and the Chicago Bears wore No. 34 patches on their jerseys for the memory of Walter Payton.

Who is 34 on the Lakers?

34 — Shaquille O'Neal.

What was Shaq's vertical?

3. He recorded the highest maximum vertical reach ever measured in pre-draft workouts. He could extend 12 feet, 5 inches from a standing position.

Is Shaq a nice guy?

Outside of basketball and his high-profile job as an analyst for TNT, O'Neal has devoted much of his time to charitable causes and being a nice guy. Stories – which he's confirmed – are aplenty with random acts of kindness.

Is 99 retired in the NHL?

Wayne Gretzky's number 99 was retired league-wide in 2000; Gretzky's former teams the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings also separately retired his number. As of March 2022, two teams have no retired numbers: the San Jose Sharks and Winnipeg Jets.

What numbers are not allowed in NBA?

The league's rules behind jersey number selection are pretty straightforward: players can wear any number combination between 00 and 99—almost. The one number not allowed is 69 for . . . obvious reasons. The NBA can thank rebounding great and Hall-of-Famer Dennis Rodman for this little wrinkle.

Was Michael Jordan fined for wearing 23?

45 + 23 = $100,000 fine for Michael Jordan. It was a seemingly harmless decision at the time. But the final bill came due Wednesday for Michael Jordan's choice of spring sports wear. The NBA levied a $100,000 fine against the Bulls for permitting Jordan to change his jersey number during the playoffs.