Shaquille O’Neal Reveals 1 Wish About Cleveland Cavaliers Partnership With LeBron James

After he failed to win a fourth ring in Los Angeles, O’Neal demanded a trade and was sent to the Miami Heat. In his second year with the team during the 2005-06 season, Big Diesel won his fourth and final ring in South Beach with a young Dwyane Wade.

From there, O’Neal slowly regressed during the remainder of his stint with the Heat and a subsequent run with the Phoenix Suns. He then played a single season with James in Cleveland during the 2009-10 campaign. During that period, Shaq was already 37 years old and way past his prime. In contrast, James was already a stellar player, and single-handedly lifted the Cavs to playoff relevancy.

Shaquille O’Neal Admits One Wish About Playing With LeBron James for the Cleveland Cavaliers

More than a decade after they played together, O’Neal has revealed what he would change during his time playing with James. In a video shared by ClutchPoints on X:

O’Neal averaged 12.0 points on 56 percent shooting from the field, 6.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game when he played for the Cavaliers. He also participated in 11 playoff games that season and posted averages of 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 blocks per contest.

If O’Neal made his way to Cleveland earlier than he should have, maybe even somewhere in his prime, James could have won a ring at that time too. Nevertheless, both stars still have their respective legendary careers even if they didn’t play with each other that long.