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KEVIN DING @KevinDing
Lakers will retire @SHAQ No. 34 jersey on April 2 vs. Mavericks and Jamaal Wilkes' No. 52 jersey on Dec. 28 vs. Trail Blazers.
Also Jamaal Wilkes.
Lakers to retire Shaq's jersey on April 2nd vs Mavs
Lakers Forum » Lakers News
Quote:
@HowardBeckNYT: Lakers announce Kareem statue Nov. 16. Also will retire Shaq's
No. 34 on Apr. 2 and Wilkes' 52 on Dec. 28
That's what's up congrats Shaq. And congrats Mr.Wilkes even know I never saw you play. Z
nice, we knew this was gonna happen. Congrats diesel
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Marc J. Spears @SpearsNBAYahoo
Lakers to retire Hall of Famer Jamaal Wilkes' No. 52 jersey on Dec. 28 at halftime.
Marc J. Spears @SpearsNBAYahoo
Lakers to retire Shaquille O'Neal's No. 34 jersey on April 2.
Wow, 2 numbers being retired next year. Cool. I knew this was coming for Shaq, but I'm happy for Wilkes. He was a great Laker.
Finally a date. I cant wait to see Shaq get the honors. Congrats to the H.O.F inductee Wilkes getting reconize also.
Very nice to know that Wilkies will be inducted in the Hall of Fame, he really deserves. He and Magic won that game 6 of 1980 almost by themselves.
Well, Shaq we all know, no one can forget that alley-oop against Portland, to me his best moment as a Laker.
Like we all know, retiring a jersey it's not a common event and for fans that unfortunately couldn't follow the team closely until recently, those ceremonies will be a great moment to watch. Can't wait to see them, congrats Shaq and Jamaal!.
Congrats to Shaq, one of the greatest Lakers and centers in NBA history. He was a monster of a man who moved with the speed of a puma. A deadly, unbeatable combination. The driving force engine behind the three peat and a guy who should have won about three more regular season MVPs.
Congrats to Jamal Wilkes. A member of the greatest Lakers team of all time and greatest basketball team of all time: the fabulous Showtime bunch. This guy knew the game inside and out and could do everything. He was a vital cog in the early Showtime team and as mentioned in this thread, teamed with Magic to beat Philly in that improbable game six championship clincher in Philly when Kareem was out with an ankle injury. Magics 42-15-7, maybe the greatest finals game in history overshadowed Wilkes 37 points. But those 37 and Wilkes amazing all around game were needed to pull off that win over the powerful Dr. J Sixers.
Jamal finally lost his spot to age and a younger player of some talent who went by the name of James Worthy. Talk about an embarrassment of riches.
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That's what's up congrats Shaq. And congrats Mr.Wilkes even know I never saw you play. Z
Makeman,
I saw Wilkes play. His nickname, one the great sports nicknames of all time, was Silk. And he was. His game and shot was smooth as silk. If you had seen him, you would have loved him. If he played for this team, you and everyone else would be going nuts over his game and what he would bring to this team. He was all that.
Silk. That said it all.
Congrats to Shaq!A tribute to Shaq one of my favorite Lakers ever!
SPQR wrote:
I saw Wilkes play. His nickname, one the great sports nicknames of all time, was
Silk. And he was. His game and shot was smooth as silk. If you had seen him, you would
have loved him. If he played for this team, you and everyone else would be going nuts
over his game and what he would bring to this team. He was all that.
Silk. That said it all.
Nice to know from someone who saw him play SPQR, I only had the opportunity to watch some of his games that I had the luck to find in the internet, including that 1980 Game 6. Magic no doubt made one of the most brilliant performances in NBA history, but Jamaal was as critical as Magic in that game as I record. I also saw a video yesterday, regarding Rick Barry's carrer in NBA.com, where they also talk about Jamaal and how he helped the Warriors win the 75 championship. He had a somewhat weird looking jumpshot, but was one of the best mid-range shooters.
EBLakers,
Nice to hear from you. Also nice to see a fan interested in Lakers history as you obviously are. There are some others on LTB who saw Silk. LALayup the former RRTX is one of them. I hope they chime in on this thread when they see it.
Yes, he was also an indespensible part of Barrys Golden State championship team. Silk was one of those players championships followed around.
I had to laugh when you talked about his jumpshot. Brings back memories. It was one of the weirdest ever. He actually kind of moved the ball in a circular arc above his head.Like a planet orbiting the sun. It was his shooting motion! It was the weirdest thing to watch. The closest thing I have seen to his shot would be watching Jim Furyks golf swing. But the ball would come off like perfection, perfect height, perfect spin, perfect arc, net! But he not only could hit the mid range shot, he had the long range one too. If you left him open, forget it. Even if you had him covered, well, try your best then pray after the ball left his hand.
More jerseys to add to the rafters cool. Congrats Shaq and Wilkes.
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LOS ANGELES -- The retired jerseys and statues in and around Staples Center will get
some company next season.
The Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday announced the dates of three events next season to honor Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and Shaquille O'Neal.On Nov. 16, before playing the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers and Staples Center will unveil a statue of Abdul-Jabbar at Star Plaza outside of Staples Center. Abdul-Jabbar's statue will join those of Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Wayne Gretzky, Oscar De La Hoya and Chick Hearn around the front of the arena.
Abdul-Jabbar's statue, or lack thereof, was a topic of controversy last season after the Hall of Fame center complained about not getting one erected in his honor.
"When you look at what (owner Jerry Buss) did for Earvin (Johnson) and what he did for me, big disparity there," Abdul-Jabbar told ESPN's "Mike & Mike in the Morning." "I just think that it's a mindset that's taken over in the organization that I'm of minimal value to the organization and they're doing other things. ... They just don't seem to want to include me in the way they have included other people."
Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and won six NBA championships, including five with the Lakers. He is a six-time NBA MVP, a 10-time All-NBA first-team member and a 19-time All-Star.
During halftime of the Lakers' Dec. 28 game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Lakers will retire jersey No. 52 in honor of Wilkes, who was announced as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction class of 2012 in April.
Wilkes, a member of the Lakers from 1977-85, was a four-time NBA champion, a three-time NBA All-Star and a rookie of the year.
On April 2, during halftime of the Lakers' game against the Dallas Mavericks, O'Neal will get his No. 34 retired.
O'Neal retired last June after a 19-year career. In the eight seasons he spent in Los Angeles from 1996-2004, the Lakers made the Finals four times, winning three championships, and O'Neal led the league in scoring while being named regular-season MVP in 1999-2000.
O'Neal will be the ninth player in Lakers franchise history to have his jersey retired, joining Wilt Chamberlain (No. 13), Elgin Baylor (No. 22), Gail Goodrich (No. 25), Johnson (No. 32), Abdul-Jabbar (No. 33), James Worthy (No. 42), West (No. 44) and Wilkes (No. 52).
The relationship between O'Neal and the Lakers soured before he was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004. O'Neal butted heads with Kobe Bryant and publicly demanded a lucrative extension that never was offered. Time, however, has healed those wounds.
"Shaq had a long and amazing career, with a huge impact both on and off the court," Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss said in a statement when O'Neal retired. "His contributions were significant to the entire NBA, but we specifically appreciate what he did with and what he meant to the Lakers during his eight years with us. We have three championships that we wouldn't have won without him, and we will forever be grateful for his significant contributions to those teams."
Thanks SPQR for the info
Think they'll ever retire D.Fish???
After all -- they retired Goodrich! 
Browns-a-Clown wrote:
Think they'll ever retire D.Fish???
After all -- they retired Goodrich!
Goodrich is a Hall of Famer, not an unknown player. As far as I know, the Lakers will only retire the jersey of players who were inducted into the Hall. If one day they change that, many other players should have their jerseys retired first, like Cooper, Scott, Horry and maybe even Rambis.
Also don't forget that Goodrich was part of a championship team and because of him, when he left, we were awarded with some draft picks, where one of those turned out to be no one else than Mr. Magic Johnson.
✓ Repped (+1)
EBLakers wrote:
Browns-a-Clown wrote:
Think they'll ever retire D.Fish???
After all -- they retired Goodrich!
Goodrich is a Hall of Famer, not an unknown player. As far as I know, the Lakers will only retire the jersey of players who were inducted into the Hall. If one day they change that, many other players should have their jerseys retired first, like Cooper, Scott, Horry and maybe even Rambis.
Also don't forget that Goodrich was part of a championship team and because of him, when he left, we were awarded with some draft picks, where one of those turned out to be no one else than Mr. Magic Johnson.
Exactly. Gail lives in Connecticut, now -- and he likes to chuckle whenever he tells that story about him, the Draft Picks, and Magic. I'm real surprised that he didn't get into some relatively high level of Broadcasting, or Coaching. Great voice. Great basketball mind. High Intellect.
Shaq's jersey should be retired one day earlier, that would be more appropriate.
Wilke was a great player who should be in the hall of fame, he not only help golden state win a Nba championship, but he help magic win againist the 76er's. He also was the first pro basketball player to make a movie as the main actor. (Cornbread earl and me, with fishburn as a kid actor in his first real role. Hopfully Mr Cooper is next!
Shaq's number retirement was a given and is richly deserved. But I must admit that I'm personally most excited about Silk's HOF induction and his Lakers number being retired to the Staples Center rafters. In fact I'm thrilled out of my mind about it. I wondered for the longest time if he would ever get his just due. Most fans have no idea just how good that guy was.
Man...did I ever love watching Wilkes play basketball. I was also a UCLA nut and loved Keith's game (back when he went by Keith) in his All-American days with the Bruins. He was always an incredibly unselfish player despite that ability that made him look so smooth on the court. He always scored more points than you thought he did. I think that was a product of how easy he made the game look. I'd never teach a kid to shoot that way (ha!) but Chick Hearn's description of his baseline shot as a "20 foot layup" was one of the most true Chickisms ever!
Congrats to both Superman and Silk! Both days will be awesome for Lakers fans.
its gonna be one crazy/exciting year for the lakers:]
Interesting article on Bleacher Report written by long time season ticket holder Andrew Unguari about how Shaq was actually the real culprit as to why he actually got traded away and how Shaq kept blaming Kobe for the trade. It reveals where Kobe was actually innocent of all the accusations.
Very interesting article.
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Serena Winters @SerenaWinters 1m
After 10 secs of complete silence when asked thoughts on Shaqs jersey retirement, then prompted again, Dwight laughs "I'm still thinkin"
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As the Lakers prepare to retire Shaq's jersey, Kobe now appreciates his former
foe
MARC J. SPEARS
With reconciliation not an option between feuding stars Kobe Bryant and Shaquille
O'Neal after the 2004 season, the Lakers were forced to choose sides.
Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss opted for the younger Bryant, who later rewarded him
with two championships. Now nearly nine years later, the Lakers are showing their
appreciation for O'Neal by retiring his No. 34 jersey Tuesday night, when the
Lakers face the Dallas Mavericks.
In one of the team's signature eras, Shaq and Kobe made four NBA Finals appearances
with the Lakers,....
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Will Shaq bust out with "Kobe, how my @$$ taste?" during his speech? I mean he is getting there first right?
Loved Shaq when he was here and still loved his quotes even after he left. Easily the most dominant player I have seen in my lifetime and great entertainer. I still have never seen anyone dunk with such power and force as Shaq did. The guy would have 2 guys on his back and still power through to the rim and dunk it. Well deserved to the Big _____ .
Shaq was the driving force behind the only 3-peat in Los Angeles Lakers history. I hope all true Laker fans appreciate just how completely awesome of a player he was. Watching Shaq utterly destroy the opposition with his freakish size, strength, ferocity, and underrated skill was pure entertainment from a fan perspective. Without Shaq's monumental efforts, there would be 3 less Championship trophies in the Franchise's collection, and the legacy of so many other Laker players and coaches (including Kobe and Phil) would be significantly diminished. Shaq was the epitome of a truly great and dominant franchise center, and the truth is that Shaq was the last center this world has seen who was virtually unstoppable and feared as an offensive force in the paint. Those kinds of centers just don't exist anymore and Shaq was the last of that breed.
For me, watching Shaq play the game night after night during his tenure in Los Angeles was the single most memorable collection highlights from 1996 to 2004. Shaq was the most feared player in the league during his Laker years and with good reason. NBA rules had to be changed due to Shaq's extreme dominance, and all teams structured the bulk of their entire defensive schemes to try and find some way to slow him down. For those younger fans who don't have those vivid memories of Shaq's pure and utter decimation of Laker opponents night after night, I can only have tremendous sympathies for you. You really missed out because Shaq was simply awesome.
damn why couldnt they do it next week vs hornets..im going to that game =� .. i just hope we win at least 2 of the next 3.. very important games.. especially dallas we need to knock them out of equation and just worry about utah.. clips and memphis are gonna be tough to beat tho.. i have a big feeling that we might just pull out a stunner in playoffs like golden state did that one year but actually make it to finals.. as long as everyones healthy
Quote:
Monday, Mike D'Antoni said Shaquille O'Neal "changed basketball,"
and explained it this way:
"Everything you do if you're preparing against his team, you talk about Shaq 90 percent of the time. You have to prepare how to not leave his body, (and) when you're going to double team him. Are you going to hack him? Are you going to do this, are you going to do that? There's very few guys you spend the whole scouting meeting talking about, and he's one of those guys."
D'Antoni coached O'Neal in Phoenix for 28 games during the 2007-08 season. "He was fun to coach," he said. "Bigger than life... He was good for us, so I'm happy for him."
Asked what memories stick out from the experience, he said "Just him going running around the locker room, crazy. Funny. Him driving the big semi-trailer cab, blowing his horn all over the place. He does everything on a grand scale, and like I said, he was fun to be with. It was good."
"One of the best, ever. One of the best big men ever."
--BK
http://sulia.com/channel/la-lakers/f/f5f7344d-6e35-4553-9269-7af00b9d83fb/?source=twitter
Gmoney818 wrote:
damn why couldnt they do it next week vs hornets..im going to that game =� .. i just
hope we win at least 2 of the next 3.. very important games.. especially dallas we
need to knock them out of equation and just worry about utah.. clips and memphis are
gonna be tough to beat tho.. i have a big feeling that we might just pull out a stunner
in playoffs like golden state did that one year but actually make it to finals.. as
long as everyones healthy
They decided the date for the ceremony before the season even started.
Shaq and Kobe were one of the best duo I have seen in the nba. But Kobe was right that he had a problem with Shaq coming in out of shape and it really was getting bad in the last two years with the Lakers. I hated to see them part ways, but Buss had to go with Kobe because of his youth and talent. It was a shame that those two could not get along better then what they did, but that is what happens when you have two alpha's.
I was a fan of Shaq. He was The Big Entertainer. He brought us 3 chips in the form of a three-peat, taking the NBA Finals MVP all 3 times. He revolutionized the concept of a BIG man having a big sense of humor and a personality, unlike the all-time greats at the center position who preceded him. Hell, he created Dwight Howard.
OK, we all know what happened after '04 and that he eventually tried to Win A Ring for the King and then finally wore that unthinkable uniform. Celtic green ...puke! BUT he was a great Laker and 100% deserves to have his number retired. No ifs, ands or buts about that and personally, I have never wavered in that belief.
Congrats to the Original Superman, The Diesel & The Big Aristotle. Thanks for those banners!
Congrats to shaq. Another retired championship jersey to hang over tha heads of them clips when there playing in are sh*t. =]. Had to sorry! . Shaq and howard need to work together.
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@NBAHistory: "It's well-deserved, beyond well-deserved. I'm very very
happy for him & proud of him." @KobeBryant on @Shaq getting #34 retired by
@Lakers
SHAQ soured on me when he sh*t on Dr. Buss ... A man who brought you here... Paid you 100+mil dollars and you treat him that way
Then his immaturity when he left here ... Great , great player... But sh*tted on everybody once he left that city
First , Penny, then Kobe, then D-wade ... Not sure if he had issues in Phoenix or Boston or Cleveland
Dude never grew up
But props to him and thx for the titles and memories
My Brother and Dad were both big fans of Shaq going back to his LSU days as a freshman.I was a Shaq fan since the day he came to my favorite NBA team the Lakers.Shaq is the most physically dominating player the NBA has ever seen and will ever see.Shaq is the cream of the crop,the best of the best when it comes to big men.Shaq was Superman and Kobe Bryant was Jimmy Olsen with Kryptonite and superpowers,together they formed the best one,two punch ever in the NBA.Shaq won three finals MVP awards and Kobe clapped for him knowing one day he would become NBA finals MVP.Congrats to my favorite big man ever Shaq Daddy.
✓ Repped (+1)
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Dave McMenamin @mcten 6m
Shaq on where he got all those nicknames from: "I'm crazy ... I've always had an imaginative brain"
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Eric Pincus @EricPincus 46s
Shaq says when and if he goes into the Hall - it'll be as a Laker
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VIDEO: Shaq, Phil, Jeanie and Rambis talk Lakers and basketball in
general
Earlier today, Shaquille O’Neal, Phil Jackson, Jeanie Buss and Kurt Rambis all made an appearance on Huffpost Live ahead of Shaq’s jersey retirement tonight at the Staples Center.
Various topics were covered: From the three-peat Lakers to the current squad �" even a little random NBA talk was sprinkled in for good measure.
Although Shaq was the star of the show, I was most interested to hear what Phil had to say �" nothing new there, though �" as he gave some interesting insight into how he views the game today, what he thinks of Mike D’Antoni‘s coaching style and even avoids a few awkward moments when the Lakers’ current coaching choice is brought up.
-- CLICK THE LINK FOR THE VIDEO --
Superman back in da building!!!!!!
It is officially time for the ceremony!
Surreal.
Damn I didn't hear Shaq give a shout out to none of his teammates, Kobe, Fish, Horry...
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Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA 53s
The Lakers had the Shaq jersey ceremony on in the locker room at halftime, but Kobe turned TV off when fans started "We Want Phil" chant.
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SHAQ @SHAQ 8m
This is what I want everyone to kno thank u very much
Especially you Kobe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzUNO_CKWKE[/quote:1a851da089]
The ceremony.
You are an anonymous user
