The Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame announced the induction of former LSU All-American Shaquille O’Neal and his coach Dale Brown on Tuesday.
O’Neal and Brown join a six-person Class of 2014 set to be enshrined in late November. Other inductees include Duke’s Grant Hill, Louisville’s Darrell Griffith and former Maryland coach Gary Williams.
O’Neal played three seasons for Brown (1989-92) and became one of the most prominent figures in LSU athletics history in the process.
O’Neal averaged 22 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks for the Tigers before going on to earn win four NBA Championships, three with the Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001 and 2002) and one with the Miami Heat (2006). O’Neal also played for the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics during his 19-year NBA career.
O’Neal garnered a slew of honors and awards during his time at LSU, including runner up for the Naismith and John Wooden Awards in 1992. The New Jersey native finished his time at LSU fifth in scoring (1,941) and holds the program record for blocks in a game, season and career.
Brown spent 25 seasons at the helm of the Tigers, winning 60 percent of his games, four Southeastern Conference titles and taking LSU to the Final Four in 1981 and 1986.
Located in Kansas City, the Hall of Fame celebrates its ninth induction class this year with several inductees claiming ties back to LSU with Bob Pettit (2006), Pete Maravich (2006), Tex Winter (2010) and Joe Dean, Sr. (2012) preceding O’Neal and Brown.