Shaquille O'Neal being the most dominant player in NBA history is still one of the most confident arguments by an NBA fan. With a 7-ft and an athletic body, Shaq found it easy to bully anyone on the NBA court he wanted.

However, the legend didn't always make the right decision about food. According to former NBA player Alonzo Mourning, when he was teammates with Shaq in Miami, Shaq asked him to be ready because he was deliberately going to get in foul trouble.

"So we’re in Golden State…this is real. Golden State — on the bus after shoot-around, he (Shaq) taps me on the shoulder again ‘ima pick up 2 quick ones, I ain’t got it tonight big fella so you’re going to play a lot…’ he prepared me for this game," Mourning said on WY Network by Dwyane Wade.

As great as Shaq was, he didn't have the best eating habits. Shaq possessed unbelievable athleticism for the first few years of his career. As he grew old, Shaq did not pay much attention to training, something that Kobe Bryant thought left O'Neal a few steps behind the GOAT status.

Mourning was the starting center of the Heat from 1995 to 2002. During that time, he won two Defensive Player of the Year Awards. For one year, he played with the Brooklyn Nets. In his second stint with the Heat (2005-08), he was the reserve center for the team.

Shaquille O'Neal reveals why he joined Miami after trade from the Lakers

In 2004, the Los Angeles Lakers were ready to ship Shaquille O'Neal, and the NBA legend had the choice to join the team he wanted. There were a lot of teams that Shaq could have joined, but he stunned everyone by choosing the Miami Heat.

Years later, Shaq has claimed that Dwyane Wade was the reason that he wanted to come to Miami. Shaq, who had been in his prime before 2004, barely paid attention to young Wade's talent. But when he did, he believed in the Miami Heat legend.

"When I first came here I had to sacrifice — I was the man everywhere I went…during the playoffs I’m watching this m********** (D-Wade) k*** BD (Baron Davis)," Shaq said. "I know cuz I seen it. I seen it with Penny (Hardaway), I seen it with Kobe (Bryant). That m************ gonna k***."

Shaq believed that Wade could lead Miami to a championship with his help. He eventually took a pay cut from his salary to build a championship team around him, which also helped the Heat land Gary Payton.

Two years later, Miami won the NBA title, defeating the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Sure enough, Wade won the NBA Finals MVP.

Where do you rank Dwyane Wade's 2006 NBA Finals MVP run? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi