Shaq joined the NBA as a young, well-built NBA ready center but over the years he kept putting on weight and at one point weighed 395 pounds – how much does Shaq weigh?
Shaquille O’Neal is considered one of the greatest NBA players of all time and this was all because of his height and well-built body, during his playing days a lot of fans wondered how much does Shaq weigh. The Orlando Magic drafted Shaq with the 1st pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. At that time, he weighed close to 300 pounds. This allowed him to be extremely agile for his size. He remained around this weight for the duration of his time with the Magic.
When did Shaq start putting on weight?
It was only after he won his first Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers that he put on weight. Coaches around the league said Shaq looked like he was 400 pounds even though his listed weight was much less.
Charley Rosen of Fox Sports commented on the issue. He said Shaq put on weight to be more dominant in the paint and prevent bigger centers from bullying him.
“It was after the Lakers’ first championship that Shaq made a decision that had immediate rewards but proved to be a long-range disaster. Feeling that massive centers like Arvydas Sabonis and Luc Longley were pushing him around in the low post, Shaq felt that he needed to be heavier. In his equation, mass equaled power equaled total domination. He, therefore, instructed his chef to overload his meals with meat and potatoes, and the pounds quickly began to accumulate.”
Charley Rosen, Fox Sports.
The extra weight that Shaq put on in that period of his career is what forced him into retirement. The pressure that his body mass but on his knees was too much to handle. It eventually led to a number of injuries late in his career and his eventual retirement from the NBA.
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