Shaquille O’Neal recalled how Jerry West convinced him to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996, combining a massive NBA contract with additional opportunities away from basketball.
Speaking on the “Full Send Podcast,” O’Neal said he met privately with West at a hotel while considering his future.
“Jerry West met me in a hotel. He said, ‘I got some good news and some bad news.’ I said, ‘What’s the bad news?’ He said, ‘I can’t get you the $150 [million] you asked for, but I can get you $120 million, and I got some movie deals signed up for you that’ll come up to $180 million.’”
The offer immediately caught O’Neal’s attention. After hearing the numbers, he recalled telling West, “S—t let me see that contract,” before signing with Los Angeles.
West also gave O’Neal a prediction about another young player the Lakers had recently acquired.
“And as I’m signing, he puts his hand on my shoulder. He said, ‘Let me tell you something, I just got this kid; in two or three years, you and him are going to win a lot of championships,’” O’Neal said. “I’m like, yeah, okay, because I’m trying to sign. He was talking about Kobe.”
West’s prediction proved accurate.
O’Neal and Kobe Bryant developed into one of the NBA’s most successful partnerships, leading the Lakers to three consecutive championships from 2000 through 2002.
The big man earned Finals MVP honors during all three title runs and also captured the 2000 NBA MVP award after averaging 28.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.8 blocks per game.
