One of the most accomplished players in the game, the 39-year-old O'Neal made the announcement by posting a video on the social media website Twitter.
"We did it. Nineteen years baby. I want to thank you very much, that's why I'm telling you first, I'm about to retire. Thank you, talk to you soon," he said in the message.
The physically imposing O'Neal, who stood 7'1" (2.16 metres) and weighed 325 pounds (147 kilograms), was a force under the basket, 10 times leading the NBA in field goal percentage thanks to his overpowering low-post game and thunderous dunks.
He averaged 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds a game over his long career, was named to 15 All-Star teams and was a member of the United States team that won the gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
He scored 28,596 points in the NBA, the fifth highest total ever, and was 12th overall in rebounds and seventh in blocked shots.
"What a career for Shaq Diesel!!" LeBron James tweeted.
"The most dominating force to ever play the game. Great person to be around as well. Comedy all the time!!"
Following a stellar college career at Louisiana State, O'Neal was made the number one overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the 1992 NBA Draft. He made an immediate impact, being named the league's rookie of the year.
O'Neal spent four years with the Magic before leaving as a free agent for the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won three consecutive titles alongside guard Kobe Bryant.
But he feuded with Bryant, and the Lakers traded him to the Miami Heat in 2004, and in 2006 O'Neal, affectionately known as "Shaq," won his fourth championship.
Since leaving the Heat in 2008, O'Neal played for the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and most recently, the Boston Celtics.
Gentle giant
A larger than life figure both on and off the court, O'Neal's announcement leaves a void from the basketball aficionado to the casual fan who merely laughed at the antics of the future Hall of Famer.
The Superman tattoo on the bicep of the 19-year NBA player provided a vivid insight into the mindset of a man who, refreshingly, does not take himself too seriously.
A gentle giant off the court with a wry sense of humour, the massive man known around the world as "Shaq" had one glaring weakness, a difficulty in sinking free throws.
His dismal 52.7 per cent accuracy from the charity stripe led opposing teams to adopt a "Hack-a-Shaq" tactic, where late in close games they would immediately foul O'Neal to send him to the free-throw line.
Among O'Neal's many nicknames over the years have been "The Big Aristotle" for his acumen during interviews, "The Diesel," "The Big Daddy," "Superman," The Big Cactus," "The Big Shaqtus" and "The Big Shamrock."
Some were coined by journalists but most were supplied by O'Neal himself.
Despite the shenanigans, O'Neal will be remembered most for his basketball skills. He averaged 23.7 points over his career, a figure stunted over the last few years as age and injuries starting taking a toll on his body.
But in his heyday, few could stop O'Neal once he received the ball in the lane. He was just too big, too muscular, too agile.
As his skills declined over the last few years, many felt it was sad to see one of the game's best players reduced to a supporting role.
He averaged 9.2 points this year in an injury-plagued season for the Celtics.
O'Neal has also lived a rich, full life off the court.
He is an accomplished rapper and a part-time policeman, having gone through training with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Reserve Academy.
O'Neal earned a Masters degree in business administration in 2005, further preparing for the day when he takes the basketball shoes off for the last time.
"It's just something to have on my resume for when I go back into reality," he said of his degree.
"Someday I might have to put down a basketball and have a regular 9-to-5 (job) like everybody else."
- Reuters
Tags: sport, basketball, united-states First posted June 2, 2011 06:00:00
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