Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant infamously clashed over Shaq’s weight while playing with the Lakers. Though they won three straight titles together, Kobe believed they could have been even better if Shaq followed his lead in conditioning.
Just how much did Shaq weigh?
TNT:
“I don’t wanna get skinny. I wanna get ‘Diesel.’” 😂💪@SHAQ’s been hitting the weight room. pic.twitter.com/jUICUo9Y4R
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 12, 2021
Shaq revealed his weight while winning his four championships and present day:
- 2000 Lakers: 345 pounds
- 2001 Lakers: 365 pounds
- 2002 Lakers: 395 pounds
- 2005 Heat: 325 pounds
- Current: 375 pounds
O’Neal was listed at 315 pounds for all three Los Angeles title seasons but 335 pounds then 340 pounds the following two years. He was listed at 325 pounds throughout his tenure with Miami.
For perspective, the highest listed weight in the NBA.com database (which dates back to 1996-97) is at 360 pounds by Sim Bhullar, who briefly played for the Kings in 2015. Among players who spent even a full season in the league, Priest Lauderdale topped the charts at 343 pounds for the 1996-97 Hawks. The only current player listed above 300 pounds is 7-foot-5 Celtics center Tacko Fall at 311 pounds.
Shaq dominated by combining power, footwork and touch. He deployed his size as a weapon because he was so nimble for his weight.
Maybe pushing 400 pounds is an exaggeration – though maybe not! But Shaq clearly got too big for peak performance.
Still, playing as well as he did while so heavy is a tribute to his underrated skill level.
