For the first time in five years, Shaquille O’Neal returned to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. But this time it was not to receive his degree – it was to play ball.
O’Neal, playing for the Miami Heat, scored 20 points in a 111-91 loss to the New Orleans Hornets in his return home,, where he had not played since his final season as a Tiger in 1992.
“It brought back some old memories,” O’Neal said. “I just wish I could have had my old locker room.”
O’Neal was in the visiting locker room since the Heat was the visiting team in the match-up.
O’Neal’s last time in the PMAC came on Dec. 15, 2000, when the 7-foot center received a degree in business. O’Neal obtained a masters degree in business administration last June from the University of Phoenix.
“That was the best three years of my life,” O’Neal said. “Baton Rouge is a great place to play.”
With a crowd of more than 7,000, some people said they came to see not only the Hornets, but also O’Neal.
In his three years at LSU, O’Neal averaged 21.6 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. A First Team All-American his sophomore and junior seasons, O’Neal was the first Southeastern Conference player selected as Athlete of the Year in 1992.
Paul Templet, computer engineering junior, said he went to see both the Hornets and O’Neal play.
“One of the reasons I came was to see Shaq,” Templet said. “And I also just wanted to see the Hornets play.”
Templet, from New Orleans, said he typically keeps up with the Hornets.
“I went to a few games last year,” Templet said. “Fifty percent of me wanted to see the Hornets, and 50 percent of me wanted to see Shaq. Maybe I could even stop him and get an autograph.”
Brandon Bass, another former LSU basketball player, also returned to the PMAC after one year.
“I was so happy when I got in the game,” Bass said. “I loved it.”
Bass scored four points in just over 10 minutes of play after entering the game to a standing ovation.
LSU senior guard Darrel Mitchell, who was in attendance, said he wanted to see Bass play.
“I wanted to see my man Brandon Bass,” Mitchell said. “I wanted to see what he could do, and he came in, took care of the things he needed to do, and I was happy for him.”
Mitchell played with Bass from 2003 to 2005, where the two reached the postseason in consecutive seasons.
“I expected him to come in and put on a good show,” Mitchell said. “For him to come home and do that was real good.”
Contact Jeff Sentell at [email protected]