did shaq gain weight?

[Kingwillball]

I highly doubt he'll look like Duckworth. Considering he loves being a celebrity and being in the spotlight, I doubt he'd let himself go like that. Plus, Shaq carries weight better than guys like Duckworth and Curry. Shaq was 303 at the pre-draft camp and he didn't look overweight at all then. He was 340 in training camp when he had that career season in 1999-2000. He weighed in at 382 before the 2002 playoffs, but carried it well and dominated.

Duckworth was suspended in Washington for weighing over 310, because he was visibly overweight and it was clear that he was out of shape at that weight. Shaq's ideal playing weight proved to be 340 and even at 382, he didn't look as fat as Eddy Curry did at 340-350. Compare Curry as a rookie who weighed in at 300 to Shaq at 303. Glen Davis also looks fatter than Shaq.

Good Points !

[magnax1]

I thought he looked quite a bit skinnier since he came back from the injury. He doesn't look like he did in orlando, but probably close to 05 Heat or 00 Lakers which were probably his two only real fit years after 98.

[inclinerator]

um he looked really skinny last yr with the suns

[ShaqAttack3234]

I thought he looked quite a bit skinnier since he came back from the injury. He doesn't look like he did in orlando, but probably close to 05 Heat or 00 Lakers which were probably his two only real fit years after 98.

In 2001, he looked similar to how he looked in 2000, particularly as the season went on.

[magnax1]

In 2001, he looked similar to how he looked in 2000, particularly as the season went on.

Probably true.

[beermonsteroo]

It really hurts seeing Shaq like that. Well it is hrting for quiet a couple of years now actually. If Shaq wasn't such a lazy ass he could have been a legit GOAT contender. Even now at age 38 he could still dropp around 22/11 easily if he only was in a bteer physical condition. At around 330 pounds Shaq would still be the best big man in the game easily.
Imagine Shaq would have stayed around 320pounds for the most of his career. Stats wise he would be the GOAT most certainly.

[EastCaliChillin]

He will be EXACTLY like Barkley. But being 7'1 and having a bigger frame it will be nasty

[OmniStrife]

/Thread

[Fallguy20]

At his size, fluctuations between 10-30 pounds are not too... excessive?

[OmniStrife]

At his size, fluctuations between 10-30 pounds are not too... excessive?

Yeah, he's probably losing as much while taking a dump.

[ShaqAttack3234]

It's funny when you hear talk about how Shaq's career could have lasted longer, be thankful his body as held up as well as it has. The man is 7'2", 340, hell, he's been over 380 and is not only the most physical player in NBA history, but also one of the most explosive. He's 38 and in his 18th season, hell, he was a deserving all-star just last year.

I mean, look at Ralph Sampson, not much taller than Shaq and 100 pounds lighter, but he had 3 good seasons before injuries destroyed his career. Hell, look at Walton, 7'0", maybe 250-260 and he had only had 1 season where he played atleast 70 games, Greg Oden, who is 7'0" and 280 has played the equivalent of 1 full season since being drafted 3 years ago, Brad Daugherty at 7'0" and 270 was out of the league before age 30 and Yao at 7'5"-7'6" and 310-320 who has been injured every season at one point starting in his 4th year. Hell, Bynum is 7'1" and 280, and he also can't stay healthy.

[miller-time]

/Thread

damn you can see his age in that photo.

[jlauber]

There have been very few CENTERS who have performed well after age 35 or so. 35 seems to be the cut-off point for even the greats.

At age 36 Shaq led the NBA in FG% with a .609 mark, and averaged 17.8. His only weaknesses, as was with virtually every other great center except Chamberlain,...was in rebounding and defense. Shaq averaged 8.4 rpg at age 36, Kareem was at 7.3, Olajuwon (in a 50 game season) was at 9.3 rpg, Robinson was at 8.3, Ewing at 9.9, and players like Russell and Thurmond were done before 35.

Chamberlain was in BETTER shape at age 36 than he had been just a couple of years before (following major knee surgery.) All Wilt did in his final season, at age 36, and over 300 lbs, was lead the NBA in rebounding at 18.6 rpg...in 43.2 mpg, and was 1st team all-defense, and he set a FG% mark of .727 that will probably never be approached, much less broken. Perhaps even more remarkably, Wilt averaged 47.1 mpg in the post-season that year, and ran away with the best rebounding mark in the playoffs at 22.5 rpg. And there were MANY who believe that Wilt could have continued to be a dominant player even into his 40's.

In any case, history shows that Shaq has actually done quite well at his advanced age. One can only wonder, though, if he had taken care of himself like Wilt did (even into his early 60's BTW) how much greater he could have been.

Here is a picture of Wilt in his mid-50's, and Shaq in his early 20's.

[beermonsteroo]

There have been very few CENTERS who have performed well after age 35 or so. 35 seems to be the cut-off point for even the greats.

At age 36 Shaq led the NBA in FG% with a .609 mark, and averaged 17.8. His only weaknesses, as was with virtually every other great center except Chamberlain,...was in rebounding and defense. Shaq averaged 8.4 rpg at age 36, Kareem was at 7.3, Olajuwon (in a 50 game season) was at 9.3 rpg, Robinson was at 8.3, Ewing at 9.9, and players like Russell and Thurmond were done before 35.

Chamberlain was in BETTER shape at age 36 than he had been just a couple of years before (following major knee surgery.) All Wilt did in his final season, at age 36, and over 300 lbs, was lead the NBA in rebounding at 18.6 rpg...in 43.2 mpg, and was 1st team all-defense, and he set a FG% mark of .727 that will probably never be approached, much less broken. Perhaps even more remarkably, Wilt averaged 47.1 mpg in the post-season that year, and ran away with the best rebounding mark in the playoffs at 22.5 rpg. And there were MANY who believe that Wilt could have continued to be a dominant player even into his 40's.

In any case, history shows that Shaq has actually done quite well at his advanced age. One can only wonder, though, if he had taken care of himself like Wilt did (even into his early 60's BTW) how much greater he could have been.

Here is a picture of Wilt in his mid-50's, and Shaq in his early 20's.

That image is always amazing. Ewing and O'Neal look like out of shape midgests next to a mid 50es Wilt. Simply Amazing!

[jlauber]

That image is always amazing. Ewing and O'Neal look like out of shape midgests next to a mid 50es Wilt. Simply Amazing!

Here is footage of Chamberlain's game five of the '72 Finals...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMyFm...eature=related

He was 35 at the time, and had just come off a sensational game six against Kareem in the WCF's. In that WCF's, Wilt blocked 15 of Kareem's "sky-hooks", and generally held his own against Abdul-Jabbar in the playoffs that season. AND, Kareem was at his statistical peak that year, as well. So, Wilt, at age 35, and playing on a surgically repaired knee, (and with arthritis in the other) battled an 11 year younger Kareem, in his prime, to something along the lines of a draw. In fact, Sport Magazine hailed it as a "decisive" win for Wilt over Kareem. Wilt would go on to win the Finals MVP that year, as well.

One can only wonder what a Chamberlain, at his peak, circa 66-68, would have done against a prime Kareem (or anyone else.)

Incidently, Wilt was offered LEGITIMATE NBA contracts in his 40's...and even into his 50's! Larry Brown witnessed Wilt take over a summer league game in 1980 that featured Magic and Marques Johnson...and Wilt was in his mid-40's at the time. A few years later Kiki Van de Wege witnessed Chamberlain overpower 7-4 Mark Eaton, and throw down a thunderous dunk on him...and Wilt was in his late 40's at the time.

In any case, there has probably never been another athlete who was in better shape in his 50's, than Chamberlain.