Pat Riley: Acquiring Shaquille O'Neal Was Bigger Than Getting Big 3.
AP
Miami Heat President Pat Riley spoke with the South Florida Sun Sentinel, and told them that the Heat trading for Shaquille O'Neal was "bigger than any other acquisition that we ever made, including the Big Three."
That is a very strong opinion, that Heat fans would love to debate. Most in Miami would come to the conclusion that drafting Dwyane Wade in 2003 would be the Heat's biggest acquisition. Others may say it was a move that shocked the world in 2010 when the Heat signed LeBron James. Some may even point to Alonzo Mourning.
It seems that Shaq's role in bringing the Miami Heat their first NBA championship is something extremely important to Pat Riley. "The seminal moment to really make us really, really legitimate, he turned our franchise around, he gave us real legitimacy"
Shaquille O'Neal will be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame next week.