Long-time Laker and future Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal decided to retire on Wednesday, and he did it in a unique fashion. He posted a video of himself via webcam on his Twitter feed, with only three words "I'm retiring video," a link, and the hashtag #ShaqRetires. During the video, O'Neal thanked his over 3.8 million Twitter followers, saying, "We did it, 19 years, baby. I want to thank you very much. That's why I'm telling you first that I'm about to retire."
↵Shaq didn't leave Los Angeles on the best of terms after the 2004 season, as the feud between Shaq and Kobe Bryant eventually turned into an either/or situation for the Lakers. He played seven more years in the NBA, winning a title with Miami, and ended his career with the Celtics this season, though injuries limited his playing time.
↵But with Shaq, it's easy to forget the unhappy ending and remember the joyous times as well. The three championships, the (criminally low) one MVP award, the monstrous dunks, the boyish sense of humor all immediately spring to the front of my mind when thinking of The Diesel, or whatever name he liked to be called at the time. I like to remember this Shaq, after the Lakers beat the Kings in the 2002 Western Conference Finals:
↵↵Yes, Shaquille O'Neal was amazingly fun to watch and root for, for both his Laker and non-Laker years. Thanks for everything, Shaq.
↵For more news and information on the Lakers, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Silver Screen and Roll.