"If I had 97 points" - Shaquille O'Neal once claimed he would make 'specific' shot if he had to break Wilt Chamberlain's record
Shaquille O'Neal once said that he would have only take a 3-point shot if he had the chance to break Wilt Chamberlain's single-game record of 100 points.
O'Neal made most of his career 28,596 points inside the paint and on the free throw line. He only made one shot from beyond the arc during his legendary NBA career.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated back in 2007, O'Neal discussed the lone 3-point shot of his career. At the time, the league had not embraced long-distance shooting. Shaq was open to taking more shots from the three on one condition.
"The only way would be if I had 97 points and I'm trying to tie Wilt Chamberlain," O'Neal said. "Then I'll probably step out and shoot the three."
Shaquille O'Neal made his only 3-point shot on February 16, 1996 against the New York Knicks in Orlando. O'Neal heaved the ball past the 3-point line as time was about to expire. The bank was open as he made his only shot from beyond the arc. He attempted a total of 22 shots from the three during his career.
As for Shaq's attempt to break Wilt Chamberlain's record, he was way off. His career high was 61 points, and he was 39 points shy of Wilt's record of 100 points. The only player to come close to Chamberlain's unbreakable record was Kobe Bryant.
O'Neal's former teammate lit up the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006 inside the Staples Center to score 81 points. It was the second-greatest scoring performance in NBA history and no player has surpassed it since.
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A look at Shaquille O'Neal's career
Shaquille O'Neal is one of the greatest players in NBA history. Some might even consider him the greatest of all time, while others have him in their top ten. Most will also say that Shaq was the most physically dominant player the game has ever seen.
O'Neal was drafted first overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992 out of LSU. He was already an All-Star in his first season en route to winning the 1993 Rookie of the Year. He led the Magic to their first NBA Finals appearance in 1995, but the Houston Rockets swept them.
"Superman" left Orlando in the summer of 1996 to join the LA Lakers in free agency. After a rough few years in Hollywood, Shaq would hit his prime and help the Lakers win three straight NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. He also won one league MVP and three NBA Finals MVP during that run.
Shaq was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004, helping them win their first NBA championship in 2006. He also ended up playing for the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics before retiring in 2011. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
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