Lakers to retire Shaq's number
By SPORTS NETWORK
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  The Lakers will retire Shaquille O'Neal's number next April. (Scott Audette/Reuters/Files) |
EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. - The Los Angeles Lakers will retire the jerseys of Shaquille O'Neal and Jamaal Wilkes in separate ceremonies this upcoming season.
The Lakers also announced their plans to unveil a statue of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar outside the Staples Center.
O'Neal, who retired last year, played eight seasons for the Lakers from 1996-2004 and won three straight NBA titles with the team from 2000-02.
The Lakers will hang O'Neal's No. 34 in the rafters on April 2. They will retire No. 52 on Dec. 28 in honour of Wilkes, who was recently named to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Wilkes played for the Lakers from 1977-84, winning four titles.
On Nov. 16 the Lakers will unveil the statue of Jabbar, a six-time NBA champion and the league's all-time scoring leader. Former Lakers Magic Johnson and Jerry West, hockey great Wayne Gretzky, boxer Oscar De La Hoya and late Hall of Fame broadcaster Chick Hearn also have statues outside Staples Center.
