Shaquille O'Neal Shares Fascinating Lakers Contract Story

Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal recently shared the intriguing story behind his 1996 contract signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Jerry West (the Lakers' general manager at the time) met me in a hotel. He told me, 'I have good news and bad news for you.' I asked him, 'What's the bad news?' He replied, 'I can't give you the $150 million you're asking for, but I can offer you $120 million, plus movie deals, so the total will reach around $180 million.' I said, 'Damn, let me see that.' He showed me the documents, and I had never seen so many zeros in my life," Shaq recounted.

"My first contract was for $40 million. When I saw that $120 million for seven years with an option to extend after the third season... And as I was signing, he put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Let me tell you something. I just drafted a kid, and in two or three years, you guys are going to win a bunch of championships.' I responded, 'Yeah, yeah, sure,' I was just trying to sign. And he was talking about Kobe then," O'Neal noted.