We love nothing more than two legends being best friends. Shaquille O’Neal and Jerry West played on different timelines, but their successes with the Los Angeles Lakers remain unfathomable. ‘Mr Logo’ established himself as a successful NBA executive by signing players like Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and O’Neal. He would go on to elevate and mold ‘Big Aristotle’ into a championship-winning force.

One of the things that awe West is the sheer size of ‘Big Diesel’. He’s witnessed it firsthand and in the most hilarious way possible. And yesteryear Lakers’ legend shared that story on his recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show.

That time Shaquille O’Neal terrified Jerry West

Jerry West continued his relationship with the Lakers after retiring from playing as a coach and later as a general manager. He is credited with building the Lakers dynasty with players like Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal.

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In a talk show, West recalled a day when he experienced Shaq’s strength that came with that massive 7’1″ frame. Their partnership began in 1996 when the former got the big guy to the Lakers as well as the draft rights to get Kobe Bryant.

The Lakers, West, and O’Neal hoped this arrangement would win titles. But success was not immediate, which frustrated Shaq. He was subjected to heavy criticism back then and got under his thick skin.

West remembered one time when O’Neal had been ejected out of a game. He looked for the player in the locker room. He instead found an epic carnage.

“I go into the locker room to see how he was and he had torn the doors off of the restroom areas that are protected.” We all have bad days. But not all of us are able to take out a bunch of toilets the way ‘Big Diesel’ can. You could imagine what West must have felt seeing the restroom massacre. But Shaq was at least polite about it. “He said to me, ‘I’ll be happy to pay for it.’”

But West refused. “I said ‘No, no, no, you can’t pay for it.’ But how in the world can someone be this strong to rip these doors off?”

O’Neal also narrated this story during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live this year with an addition. According to the giant, West gave him a memorable pep talk after he took out his frustration on the restrooms. West told him he’ll win that title and Shaq would go on to win a three-peat championship from 2000 to 2002.

Big Diesel doesn’t overwhelm West anymore

In the same interview, West spoke about O’Neal’s size in a positive way. Shaq continues to maintain his physique at 51 and it shows. West spoke about texting his former player to compliment his body. To West, Shaq is not only big, but he is also “proportionate.”

After narrating Shaq’s restroom destruction episode, West called his longtime friend a “fun guy.” He credited O’Neal for keeping the atmosphere “light and airy” during grueling NBA seasons.

Jerry West has worked with many players who became NBA superstars. He’s seen all the highs and lows of the game too. But he openly declared Shaq his “favorite.”

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