NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal is indeed larger than life. Aside from being arguably the most polarizing force in NBA history, the affable giant is beloved for his enthusiastic and over the top personality.
Shaq has millions of dedicated fans all over the world and is no stranger to having people use his likeness as inspiration for their tattoos. His oldest son Shareef even paid homage to his old man by immortalizing one of the most iconic plays of his legendary career.
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The 4-time NBA champion with the Lakers and the Heat, meanwhile, also has a nice collection of ink on his body as well. Shaq is indeed a mammoth of a man and he wasn’t shy at all in using it as a big canvass.
Shaquille O'Neal's most prominent tattoos are plastered all over his massive arms, and fans usually got an up-close look each time he flexes those guns with each rim-rocking dunk.
Let’s have a look at all the known tattoos on Shaq’s body.
“Diesel” on left shoulder
O’Neal goes by many nicknames but there’s no doubt that “Diesel” might just be his most favorite monicker. The 3-time NBA Finals MVP has his pseudonym inked in big letters right at the top of his left shoulder. Shaq has used the nickname on ventures outside the hardwood. His 1993 rap album Shaq Diesel went platinum, while he also goes by DJ DIESEL on his electronic music producer career.
Superman logo and “Man of Steel” on left arm
Shaq is serious about his nicknames and has a personal beef with current Lakers center Dwight Howard simply because he also likes to call himself “Superman”.
At his prime, Shaquille O’Neal indeed flashed almost superhuman strength and bullied every defender that got on his way on the low black. He adopted the nickname Superman and even has the DC character’s big S logo tatted on his arm. Shaq later added the words “Man of Steel” to complete the look.
Angel wings and Script designs on left forearm
Although it's now quite hard to decipher, Shaq also a couple of scripts tatted on his left forearm. Most athletes like to add bible scriptures or their favorite quotes on tattoo designs, and it’s likely that O’Neal also went the same route.
He also has an image of an angel around the same area, which usually symbolizes one’s desire to portray a guardian role in someone's life.
Shaq logo inside a bullseye on left forearm
Shaq’s shoe line with Reebok was a big hit in the ‘90s and he quickly trademarked the image of his silhouette performing a powerful two-handed dunk. Shaq loved that logo so much that he had it immortalized on his left forearm. The design was inside a huge bullseye, which perhaps symbolizes how Shaq always had a target on his back during his playing days.
Tribal design tattoos on left arm
Shaq began sporting a full sleeve since was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 2008. The Big Aristotle played around a bit with tribal designs to fill out the blank spaces on his left arm.
Circular logo with word “DOG” on right arm
O’Neal also like to refer to himself as the big dog, and he also had it immortalized on his high arm. An image of a pitfall’s head can also be seen inside the letter “O”.
“BIG” on right forearm
To say that Shaq is big is indeed an understatement. While he doesn’t need to remind people of his size, O’Neal still has the word “BIG” inked in bold letters on his forearm.
Muscular man on right forearm
Much like his Shaq logo tattoo on his left forearm, O’Neal has another silhouette inspired tattoo on his opposite side. The image appears to be that of a muscular man, which seems to be another self-portrait for the Big Shaqtus.
“Against the Law” on right bicep
This is one of O’Neal’s newest tattoos which he got upon retirement. While this is quite controversial since Shaq is also a reserve officer for the Los Angeles Port Police, the NBA Hall of Fame clarified the meaning behind it.
“My game’s so good, there has to be a law to stop it,” he shared.
Fist holding a diamond on right arm
This is another tattoo that’s up for interpretation, but it likely points to Shaq’s never-ending quest for wealth. O’Neal has upped his net worth even upon retirement after making multiple business ventures from different sectors.
“The world is mine” on right arm
Shaq is pretty much straightforward with his simple tattoo designs, and this pretty much sums up how he was once at the top of the game during his playing career. O’Neal is truly the most dominant big man to ever play in the league and the world was indeed his at one point.
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