MAIN Sports Sports Stars Shaquille O'Neal

Born Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal in Newark, New Jersey on March 6, 1972 the NBA basketball superstar is today familiar to millions of fans as Shaq, the 325 pound, 7'1' player famous for backboard shattering dunks.

Although born in the States, young Shaq spent most of his childhood in Germany where his stepfather was stationed in the U.S. Army. It was there that he learned to play basketball, later returning to the U.S. playing for Louisiana State University, kicking off a stellar basketball career.

Beginning in 1992, he was signed with the Orlando Magic, helping the team to a total 41 wins.

In 1996, he left Orlando to join the Los Angeles Lakers, and became part of the gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic team in Atlanta, and was later selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History that same year.

He later led the Lakers to to three consecutive NBA titles beginning in 2000 and was named MVP of the NBA Finals all three times.

In 2004, following an NBA Finals loss to the Detroit Pistons, O'Neal asked to be traded to the Miami Heat.

The following year, he was plagued by a thigh injury, but rebounded in 2006 to help his team to victory at the NBA Finals in his fourth career NBA championship.

Off the court, Shaq has starred or performed in a handful of Hollywood movies including Kazaam, He Got Game, and a more recent appearance in Scary Movie 4.

Divorce News

In September, O'Neal filed for divorce from wife Shaunie Nelson in a Miami court saying that the marriage was "irretrievably broken," — citing Shaunie's secretive financial dealings as a major cause of the split.

The couple married in 2002 and have four children, sons Shareef, 6, and Shaqir, 3, and daughter Amirah, 4. The youngest O'Neal, a daughter, was born Me'arah Sanaa on May 2006. O'Neal has a daughter Taahirah, 9, and Nelson has a son Myles, 8, from previous relationships.

Trade News

Traded to the Phoenix Suns in February 2008, it was announced that the Suns had acquired O'Neal from the Miami Heat in exchange for forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks. Often cited as the reason for the trade is the star center's recent upheavals in his personal life along with a recent hip injury, leading to a less-than-stellar year for both O'Neal and his team.

Then came the news in July 2009 that the Phoenix Suns had agreed to trade Shaquille O’Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers, joining NBA MVP LeBron James in a blockbuster deal that promises a stellar year for the Cavs going into the 2009-2010 season.

Shaq Vs.

In August, watch for Shaq to star in his own reality TV show that pits him against top athletes in their own sports. The series promises to show Shaq's athletic bravado against Steelers quaterback Ben Roethlisberger, swimmer Michael Phelps, retired boxer Oscar De Lay Hoya, tennis star Serena Williams, cycling champ Lance Armstrong, and beach volleyball Olympians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.

"Shaq Vs." is set to premiere August 18 and will air Tuesdays at 9 ET/PT.

More about Shaquille O'Neal around the Web:

NBA.com: Shaquille O'Neal Bio - Photo, current and game-by-game stats, biography and printable player profile.

Shaquille O'Neal | Official Site of BBallOne.com - Biography, facts and information, career stats and a total of six picture galleries of the superstar in action.

Yahoo! Sports - NBA- Shaquille O'Neal - Breaking news, photos, stats and career profile.

Shaquille O'Neal - Wikipedia - A full biography, career highlights, photo.

also see -> Basketball | Teens Go One-On-One with Shaq