Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson is the latest to send kind words towards the direction of Shaquille O’Neal after the recent unveiling of the latter’s larger-than-life statue in Staples Center.

The 57-year-old shared his experience in recruiting Shaq for the Los Angeles Lakers back in 1996 and how he already saw how big of an impact The Diesel would have not only for the franchise, but for the entire league as well.

Johnson highlighted O’Neal’s remarkable championship run from 2000-02 in which the dominant big man led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA titles, with Shaq winning Finals Most Valuable Player in all three years.

Magic also went on to tell the story of how The Big Aristotle reached out to the Buss family years after his unceremonious departure from the team following the Lakers being upset by the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals. The amicable discussion led to the franchise retiring O’Neal’s No. 34 jersey in 2013.

This congratulatory message will definitely mean a lot for Shaq. After all, it’s not everyday that a five-time NBA champion and Basketball Hall of Famer so openly vocalizes his admiration towards him.

Below is the full message from Magic to Shaq, with love: