“I told him ‘Hey, I wanna make this the best for you coz if it wasn’t for you, there wouldn’t be no me” - Shaquille O'Neal on telling Dr. J what the latter’s inspiration did for him

Shaquille O'Neal (right) credits Dr. J for his inspiring him to be great in basketball and to be a sound businessman. [Photo: Bleacher Report]

Shaquille O'Neal is probably Julius “Dr. J” Erving’s biggest and most loyal fan. Over the years, Shaq has recounted several stories depicting his earlier interactions with the legendary Philadelphia 76ers forward. By now, it’s well-chronicled what Dr. J’s inspiration has done for him since the time the renowned dunk artist snuck into his room at LSU.

In an episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the Hall-of-Fame big man shared a heartwarming dialog between the two former NBA superstars. "Superman," who’s known for his magnanimity, tried to outdo himself for his idol.

Here’s what Shaq had to say and tried to do in appreciation of everything Dr. J has inspired him to do throughout the years:

“So we having a meeting cause we’re in business together and I told him, ‘Hey, I wanna make this the best for you coz if it wasn’t for you, there wouldn’t be no me.’ Everybody’s dreams not gonna come true. My dreams, when it came to Dr. J came true, but I don’t know how.”

Dr. J is an iconic figure in basketball among fans because of his legendary exploits. He was a four-time MVP and was an All-Star in each of his 16 years in the ABA and NBA. Nobody electrified the crowd more than his hang time and rim-rattling dunks.

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The NBA's most famous aerial artists like Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins and Vince Carter all took their cues from Dr. J. He brought excitement to the game that few could do and even fewer could sustain for close to two decades.

But more than his basketball prowess, it was his generosity and kindness that made him arguably the most beloved player in NBA history. Among those he inspired and nurtured was a raw but supremely talented big man named Shaquille O'Neal.

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The fact that Shaquille O'Neal has remained grateful since he was a college player speaks volumes about his admiration, respect, and loyalty to “Black Moses.”

Shaquille O'Neal asked Dr. J to present him to the Hall-of-Fame

Dr. J and four others walked Shaquille O'Neal into the Hall-of-Fame in 2016. [Photo: Lake Show Life]

Shaquille O'Neal retired after 18 seasons in the NBA following the Boston Celtics’ 2010-11 campaign. The most dominant player to ever grace a basketball court was a shoo-in to the Hall-of-Fame sometime down the road.

In 2016, O'Neal was formally inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The HOF committee asked him to choose one presenter for the induction. True to his often rebellious nature, Shaq decided to bring four.

NBA legends Alonzo Mourning, Isiah Thomas, Bill Russell and, of course, Julius Erving ushered O'Neal into the HOF. While Shaq profusely thanked the other three, it was when he came to Dr. J that his eyes lit up. One could easily just see how proud he was of the moment, to show what he has become in front of his idol.

“And last but not the least, Julius “Dr. J” Erving. Yeah, I know he’s your guy and y’all he’s your guy, but, he’s really my guy.”

With those simple words, Shaq poured in years of gratitude, knowing success would have been only a dream if not for his interactions with Dr. J.