It wasn't until later in Shaq's career that Michael Jordan's words dawned upon him.
Shaquille O'Neal is among the most successful big men in the NBA's history. With four titles and 15 All-Star selections, the Hall of Famer has etched his name in the league's history books as one of the greatest ever to play.
However, before he captured three straight NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and added another with the Miami Heat, the 7'1" center endured numerous failures and heartbreaks in the NBA Playoffs. In fact, Shaq and the Lakers suffered two straight sweeps before finally breaking through in 2000 to win the first of three straight NBA crowns.
Only then did Michael Jordan's words of encouragement to Shaq during their 1996 playoff face-off truly resonate with the former LSU great.
Facing famine before the feast
Shaq's career got off to a fast start, as he and the Orlando Magic quickly established themselves as the new beasts of the East. With Jordan still out playing baseball, Big Diesel and Penny Hardaway appeared primed to inherit the throne. They made it to the 1995 NBA Finals but were defeated by the Houston Rockets.
Their reign was short-lived, as His Airness and the Chicago Bulls swept them in the following playoffs. Before walking off the floor at the end of that showdown, MJ tracked Shaq down and offered some valuable words of wisdom.
"I can remember after the Bulls beat the Orlando Magic in '96, as I was walking off the court, Michael Jordan said to me, 'Before succeeding, you must first learn to fail,'" So I wrote it down. I'm like, 'What the f**k is Mike talking about?'" Shaq said on the "Point Game with CJ & John Wall."
Jordan went through the fire
Shaq said he then took a crash course in hoop history and discovered how the "Greatest of All Time" didn't earn that title overnight. He endured consecutive first-round sweeps at the hands of the legendary Boston Celtics and three straight playoff losses to the "Bad Boys" Detroit Pistons.
But each time, he took his lumps, learned lessons, and returned even stronger. And when he finally did win his first championship in 1991, it was all the sweeter because of the struggles he had overcome.
"I went back and watched all these other guys—the Detroit and Boston series—they had to take those bumps and bruises," Shaq quipped, understanding how MJ had to earn his stripes before reaching the NBA's peak.
Just like a fire that has to burn through obstacles and adversity before reaching its full potential, MJ's journey to greatness was not easy. But his determination and resilience in the face of challenges ultimately made him the sports icon he is today.
While Shaq's journey was different, the challenges he faced and later overcame—Tim Duncan and the Spurs and Karl Malone's Utah Jazz—only made his eventual success more fulfilling. It's a reminder that the path to greatness is never easy. Still, the struggles along the way make achieving it all the more rewarding.
