Iniretiro ng Miami Heat ang jersey No. 32 ni basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal bilang pasasalamat sa kontribusyon ng Hall-of-Famer sa tagumpay ng prangkisa sa NBA.
Pormal na itinaas ang jersey sa atip ng Miami Dome sa emosyunal na seremonya na dinaluhan ng ina ng 7-foot-1 center na su Lucille.
Ibinigay ng tinaguriang ‘Diesel Power’ ang unang kampeonato sa Heat nang kunin siya mula sa Los Angeles Lakers noong 2004.
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Pinasalamanat ni O’Neal ang pamunuan ng Miami Heat, sa pangunguna ni coach Pat Riley at dating kasanggang si Dwyane Wade.
“When you win championships, it becomes contagious. I felt like I still had a lot to give I just needed another piece. D-Wade was that piece,” pahayag ni O’Neal. “It was already his team so I wasn’t going to redecorate the Christmas tree.”
Ikinatuwa ni Heat coach Erik Spoelstra ang kaganapan at sinabing si Shaq ang haligi ng prangkisa ng Heat.
“It was like going down memory lane. It felt like 2006. Shaq engaged the entire crowd with incredible class,” aniya.
“Our players were sitting there with eyes wide open. They saw a vision of what we’re trying to build and what the arena is like when you have a legitimate championship-contending team. It was a special presentation.”
