Shaquille O’Neal may have faced setbacks in his personal life, but when it comes to fatherhood, he has consistently been a winner. Time and again, his kids have shown just how much they love and admire him. But few gestures can top what his son, Shareef O’Neal, did—getting a tattoo of his father inked on his leg. And this isn’t just any image of Shaq in a Los Angeles Lakers jersey. This tattoo tells a story, one that’s deeply personal and incredibly iconic.

Recently, the backstory behind this tattoo resurfaced in an Instagram post by inkednba, and if you’re a basketball fan, you’ll love this one. “@shareefoneal has a tribute to his father @shaq on his leg. He captures the moment from game 7 of the 2000 WCF. Shaq explained later on that when pointing up to the sky he was pointing at his newborn son Shareef in the stands,” the post revealed. This still, however, does not emphasize enough how important that particular moment was for Shaq back in 2000.

2000 WCF Game 7 had major stakes for the Lakers

Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals wasn’t just another basketball game—it was an emotional rollercoaster, a moment that defined resilience, and one of the greatest playoff victories in Lakers history. If you’ve ever doubted the magic of the NBA, this game would’ve changed your mind. Picture this: The Lakers, led by Phil Jackson, had dominated all season, but suddenly, they were on the brink of elimination at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Close to losing three straight games. That hadn’t happened all year. But here they were, one loss away from seeing their championship dreams crushed. The first half was a tight battle, with neither team giving an inch. Portland held a tender 42-39 lead at halftime, and Lakers fans were still hopeful. But then came the third quarter—where everything seemed to fall apart.

The Blazers went on an 18-2 run, completely silencing the Lakers’ offense. Steve Smith was on fire, and by the time Scottie Pippen drained a three at the buzzer, Portland’s lead had ballooned to 18 points. Let’s be honest—at that moment, it felt over. The Lakers looked lost, their offense out of sync, and Portland’s defense was suffocating them.

If you watched it live, you probably thought, This is it. The season’s done. It really seemed that way. But what happened next is why this game is legendary. The Lakers were about to pull off one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history, and no one saw it coming.

The story of an iconic comeback and the moment that inspired Shareef for a Shaquille O’Neal tattoo

Some moments in sports don’t just define a game—they become legendary. The Lakers’ Game 7 comeback against the Blazers was one of those moments. Brian Shaw and Robert Horry came off the bench and delivered exactly what the Lakers needed—ice-cold three-pointers that started to chip away at Portland’s lead. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers completely lost their touch, missing shot after shot in the fourth quarter. The door was open, and the Lakers ran right through it.

Then came a sequence that every Lakers fan still remembers. Brian Shaw missed a shot, but in the scramble, Horry—known for his clutch shooting since his Houston Rockets days—somehow came away with the ball. He calmly stepped behind the three-point line and launched it. And with a swish, the Lakers were within five. The energy in the building shifted. You could feel it.

But the defining moment? That came with 41.9 seconds left. Kobe Bryant, cool as ever, drove into the lane and lobbed a pass toward the basket. And then—BOOM. Shaquille O’Neal threw down an alley-oop dunk so vicious it shook the arena. The Lakers were up by six, and O’Neal sprinted down the court, pointing and shouting in pure joy.

For years, fans wondered—who was Shaq pointing at? Turns out, it wasn’t just some random person in the crowd. In 2019, during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, O’Neal revealed the truth: he was pointing at his two-year-old son, Shareef.

“He was 2 yrs old, I didn’t even know he could talk, he comes to me & he says “Daddy win.” That’s the first thing he ever said to me…” Shaq shared. And win he did. The Lakers absolutely dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring Portland 31-13 to complete the comeback and secure an 89-84 victory. That win sent them to the NBA Finals for the first time in nearly a decade.

From there, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant made history. They took down the Indiana Pacers in the 2000 Finals, bringing a championship back to LA for the first time in 12 years. And then there was no stopping this iconic duo as two more titles followed, completing a legendary three-peat. The last win that the NBA has witnessed as of now.

For Shareef, however, that alley-oop meant more than just a Lakers win. It was a core memory, a moment between father and son that stuck with him for life.