Chapter 289: Everyone is Equal, Except for Shaquille O'Neal

Pat Riley still hadn't forgotten the excitement of acquiring Shaquille O'Neal from the Lakers.

For the Miami Heat at the time, it was a major victory because they had managed to get the league's best player by only trading Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and some draft picks.

This wasn't Riley's blind confidence in O'Neal. Back then, basketball experts felt that the Los Angeles environment had led Shaquille O'Neal to lose his edge, and a new setting would rekindle his drive, motivated by the insult of the Lakers choosing Kobe over him.

As a result, while O'Neal's condition had improved compared to his Lakers days, the improvement was limited, and after a season, everyone knew he was no longer "the most dominant in history."

Luckily, Dwyane Wade's rise made up for the shortfall brought by O'Neal.

Before tonight, Riley had always felt that even if O'Neal wasn't the best in the league, he was still a prime candidate for the league's top center.