10 NBA Superstars Who Switched Teams In Their Primes

Shaquille O'Neal was drafted 1st overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992. Like Wilt, Shaq was a player unlike any the NBA had ever seen. He was possibly the most physically dominant center to ever play basketball. He was gigantic at 7'1", but could move up and down the court like a gazelle. As a rookie, he averaged 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game, one of the most incredibly imposing stat lines in modern NBA history.

Alongside Penny Hardaway, Shaq had the Magic on the brink of a dynasty. In 1994-1995, Shaq and Penny won 57 games and brought the Magic to the NBA Finals, where they were famously swept by the Houston Rockets. After a first round sweep the next year, Shaq's future in Orlando came to screeching halt.

Taking advantage of the strange absence of restricted free agency in 1996, Shaq signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, a town that offered him more opportunities as a celebrity than Orlando. In LA, the duo of Shaq and a young, afro'd Kobe Bryant formed the most viscous duo in NBA history, winning three straight championships from 2000-2002.