Michael Jordan Was ‘Intimidated’ The First Time He Played Against Shaquille O’Neal: ‘I Just Couldn’t Fathom How Big He Was’

NBA icon Michael Jordan was “intimidated” the first time he played against Shaquille O’Neal.

Jordan couldn’t believe how big O’Neal was. 

“That I was intimidated in basketball? When I first saw Shaquille,” Jordan told SLAM in 1997. “How big he is. I mean, that was a short intimidation factor, but [laughs] I just couldn’t fathom how big he was.”

O’Neal was listed at 7-1, 325 pounds during his playing career. He’s universally recognized as the most dominant player in NBA history. 

Jordan and O’Neal faced each other 11 times in the regular season and 10 times in the playoffs. MJ was 6-5 against Shaq in the regular season and 6-4 in the postseason. 

O’Neal and the Orlando Magic beat Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the second round of the 1995 playoffs. It was the only postseason series Jordan lost from 1991 to 1998. 

The Magic eliminated the Bulls on May 18, 1995. Jordan was in the gym on May 19. 

“After the season, usually there’s a time period where Michael takes some time off,” Jordan’s trainer Tim Grover said in The Last Dance doc. “The night they lost to Orlando, I said, ‘Michael, I’m about to get out of here. Let me know when you want me to see you.’ He goes, ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’

“Michael had an obligation to himself, the fans, his teammates, the organization, his family, everybody. He said, ‘If you’re going to sit down and take three hours out of your day to watch me on TV, I have an obligation to give you my best. To give you my best all the time.’”

Jordan retired from the NBA in 1993 to play baseball. He returned to basketball near the end of the 1994-95 season but couldn’t lead the Bulls past the Magic. 

In the summer of 1995, Jordan worked hard and transformed his body from a baseball frame back to a basketball build. 

The 1995-96 season was a remarkable campaign for Jordan and the Bulls. Chicago went 72-10 and Jordan won his fourth MVP Award and eighth scoring title. MJ averaged 30.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.2 steals and 0.5 blocks. 

The Bulls defeated the Miami Heat in the first round and the New York Knicks in the second round of the 1996 playoffs, setting up a rematch with the Magic, this time in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Everyone in the basketball world knew Jordan wanted to face Orlando again so he could get his revenge. 

The Bulls swept the Magic in the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals. Jordan and Co. faced off against the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals. 

Chicago beat Seattle in six games, with Jordan winning the Finals MVP Award. He averaged 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.2 blocks in the six-game series. 

Jordan guided the Bulls to two more championships in 1997 and 1998 before retiring again. He played two seasons with the Washington Wizards in 2001-02 and 2002-03 before retiring from the NBA for good. 

Arguably the top player in NBA history, Jordan won the 1984-85 Rookie of the Year Award, five regular-season MVPs, one Defensive Player of the Year Award, 10 scoring titles, three steals titles, six championships and six Finals MVPs.

Meanwhile, O’Neal won three championships and three Finals MVPs with the Los Angeles Lakers and one ring with the Heat. He also won the 2000 regular-season MVP Award with the Lakers. 

Both Jordan and O’Neal are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and on the 75th Anniversary Team.