shaquille o neal

This April 1, 2009, file photo shows Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, top, of China, shooting over Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game, in Phoenix.

A Shaquille O'Neal is retiring from the NBA after 19 seasons.A O'Neal made the announcement over Twitter, where he has 3.8 million followers, on Wednesday.A At 7-foot-1 and 350 pounds, he was a dominant presence in the middle winning four NBA championships - three with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat.

Athlete. Entertainer. Class clown. O'Neal gave us plenty of memories.

Shaquille O'Neal, one of the most dominant, charismatic and influential NBA players ever, is calling it a career after 19 seasons.

There will never be another Shaq, writes Jack McCallum.

Shaquille O'Neal says he is retiring from the NBA after a professional career spanning nearly two decades.

Shaquille O'Neal, one of the most dominant, charismatic and influential NBA players ever, is calling it a career after 19 seasons.

The 15-time All-Star, 39, said on Twitter he was retiring.

Shaquille O'Neal says on Twitter that he's "about to retire." The Boston Celtics centre sent a Tweet saying, "im retiring." It included a link to a 16-second video in which he says, "We did it; 19 years, baby.

Shaquille O'Neal has sat out 39 of Boston's last 42 games. Shaquille O'Neal lagged well behind the rest of the Boston Celtics on the short walk from the bus to the locker room on Wednesday morning.