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Shaquille O'Neal entered the league in the 1992 NBA Draft, playing with a fearless attitude right off the bat.
With his size and strength, he dominated the paint, scoring efficiently and grabbing many rebounds. In his first season in the NBA, he averaged 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. He staked his claim as the best in the 1992 Draft class, winning the 1991-92 Rookie of the Year title.
Shaquille O'Neal has always contributed in all areas of the game, maintaining a high player efficiency rating. In his trophy-laden career, the four-time NBA champion has averaged a player efficiency rating of 26.4. On that note, here's a look at his five best seasons in terms of PER.
#5 2002-03 – 29.5
Going into the 2002-03 season, Shaquille O'Neal boasted three NBA Championships with the LA Lakers.
However, an injury to his toe sidelined him for the first twelve games. The Lakers were 3-9 without him. O'Neal returned, averaging 27.5 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks throughout the regular season.
The LA Lakers eventually finished fifth in the Western Conference standings with a 50-32 win-loss record. Shaquille O'Neal's player efficiency rating stood at 29.5 for the season.
O'Neal averaged a double double in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring 28.7 points and 15.3 rebounds. The LA Lakers progressed in six games to face the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Spurs' trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker took care of business, winning the series 4-2. That brought a tame end to the LA Lakers' run of championships.
#4 2001-02 – 29.7
The 2001-02 season was one where Shaquille O'Neal and the LA Lakers successfully completed a three-peat.
During the regular season, Shaq continued to face problems with his big toe, but battled on. He averaged 27.2 points and 10.7 rebounds through 67 games. Shaquille O'Neal was efficient, shooting a league-high 57.9% from the field. He tallied a player efficiency rating of 29.7 for the season.
After finishing third in the Western Conference standings, the Lakers swept the Portland Trail Blazers 3-0 in the first round of the playoffs.
They beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the next round to face the Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference Finals. In a tough battle, Shaquille O'Neal and the Lakers came out on top in seven games.
Shaquille O'Neal has always stepped up in the NBA Finals, and it was no different this year too. The LA Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets 4-0, riding on O'Neal's averages of 36.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. He was named the Finals MVP for a third consecutive year.
#3 2000-01 – 30.2
In the 2000-01 season, Shaquille O'Neal finished third in the Most Valuable Player voting, behind Allen Iverson and Tim Duncan.
O'Neal had an efficient regular season, taking the Lakers to a strong second-place finish. He scored 28.7 points, grabbed 12.7 rebounds and blocked 2.8 shots per game, which took his player efficiency rating to 30.2.
The LA Lakers reached the 2001 NBA Finals without losing a single game. They faced the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs in consecutive rounds.
In the finals, they beat the Philadelphia 76ers in five games. Shaquille O'Neal was clinical again, averaging 33 points, 15.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.4 blocks throughout the series. Rightfully, O'Neal was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player for his all-round contributions.
In the process, the LA Lakers lifted their second NBA championship in the Shaq-Kobe era.
#2 1999-00 – 30.6
In the 1999-00 season, the LA Lakers were desperate to turn things around. They hired a new head coach to lead the team. Under Phil Jackson at the helm, the Lakers played positively.
Shaquille O'Neal was challenged by Jackson to produce dominant performances throughout the season, and the center duly obliged. Shaq led the league, making 956 of his 1,665 field-goal attempts. He won his second scoring title that season, averaging 29.7 points per game. O'Neal won his first and only regular season Most Valuable Player title in the 1999-00 season.
O'Neal also improved in other areas, averaging 13.6 rebounds and three blocks per game. The LA Lakers won 81.7% of their games, taking the first seed in the Western Conference Finals, with 67 regular season wins.
In the playoffs, the Lakers needed five games to beat the Sacramento Kings in the first round, and also did likewise against the Phoenix Suns in the next. The Western Conference Finals went to Game 7 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
That game saw the iconic alley-oop pass from Kobe Bryant to Shaquille O'Neal in crunch time as the LA Lakers won a thrilling series.
Shaquille O'Neal was clutch in the 2000 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers. In six games, he averaged 38 points, 16.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks, earning himself his first NBA Finals MVP award. The LA Lakers won the series 4-2, marking the birth of a new dynasty under Phil Jackson.
#1 1998-99 – 30.6
The 1998-89 season was Shaquille O'Neal's best in terms of player efficiency rating.
He tallied a player efficiency rating of 30.6, owing to his all-round contributions in the regular season. Shaq averaged 26.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. His PER was the highest in the league during the season.
The season was shortened due to a lockout, with the Lakers winning 31 of their 50 games.
The LA Lakers were confident that the duo of Shaq and Kobe would take them deep in the playoffs. However, due to many personnel changes throughout the season, they never really found their footing.
The LA Lakers were eventually swept 4-0 by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semi-finals. The Spurs went on to win their first NBA championship that year.
Guess the Lakers players!
