Back In The Day NBA

Los Angeles Lakers Signed Shaquille O'Neal To Richest NBA Contract 28 Years Ago

Shaquille O'Neal signs a 7-year, $120 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Scott Salomon

May 26, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Shaquille O'Neal before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves in game three of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
May 26, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Shaquille O'Neal before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves in game three of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

On July 18, 1996, Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers agreed to what was then the largest contract in the history of sports. The contract was worth $120 million over seven years.

This came just two days after an Orlando Sentinel telephone poll where 91.3 percent of the callers surveyed did not believe O'Neal was worth those kind of dollars. The Magic's final offer to O'Neal was a 4-year, $54 million pact.

O'Neal took the poll in stride.

"The media in Orlando bashed me so much, I stopped looking at the paper after my second year," O'Neal said at the time. "When I read stuff like that, it doesn't make me weaker, it actually makes myself stronger."

O'Neal said it was not about the money. He thought it was time to leave Orlando and move somewhere else. He said being a military child, he was used to a change of scenery every three or four years.

"This is going to be one of the hardest decisions of my life, I think I made the right decision," O'Neal said. "It wasn't about money because I just love to play the game. I just want to thank Jerry West and the LA Lakers for giving me a good fair deal. Money was not the main factor here."

Speaking of money, O'Neal then had to get a plug in for his sponsorship deals.

"I just want to go have fun, be young, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok and have fun," O'Neal said. "I'm just happy to receive a good deal. I'm just happy to be here."

Scott Salomon is a contributor to Back In the Day NBA. He can be reached at sas@southfloridamedianetwork.com.

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Scott Salomon
SCOTT SALOMON

Scott Salomon joined FanNation on Sports Illustrated in April 2024 covering breaking news and analysis for the Miami Dolphins channel. In June he joined Inside the Heat and Back in the Day NBA. Scott is based in South Florida and has been covering the local and national sports scene for 35 years. Scott has covered and has been credentialed for the Super Bowl, the NFL Combine, various Orange Bowls and college football championship games. Scott was also credentialed for the NBA All-Star game and covered the Miami Heat during their first six seasons for USA TODAY. Scott is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Communication and the St. Thomas University School of Law. Scott has two sons and his hobbies include watching sports on television and binge watching shows on various streaming services. Twitter: @ScottSalomonNFL