Five alternative NBA timelines for Shaquille O’Neal
By John Buhler
4. What if he was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets?
The other team that was living at the top of the NBA Draft Lottery in the early 1990s was the Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte had the No. 1 overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft and selected UNLV forward Larry Johnson. Had O’Neal entered the draft a year earlier, he would’ve likely been the top pick over Grandmama.
With the No. 2 pick in that draft, Charlotte selected Georgetown big man Alonzo Mourning after missing out on the right to take O’Neal. Mourning is a member of the 2014 Hall of Fame Class, having spent his first four years in Charlotte before going on to author a lengthy second act as the defensive anchor of the Miami Heat.
Once Charlotte traded Mourning to the Heat for Glen Rice (among others), the Hornets lost their ability to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference, and the team would be relocated to New Orleans in 2002. Thankfully, owner Michael Jordan brought the Hornets moniker back to Charlotte after New Orleans decide to rebrand themselves as the Pelicans in 2014.
In short, O’Neal would’ve loved playing in the certifiably basketball-crazy North Carolina. Would Mugsy Bogues or Dell Curry have been good enough in the backcourt to complement O’Neal in the frontcourt? Probably not. Then again, maybe Shaq’s presence turns those guys into All-Stars?
Charlotte would have had a Shaq and Penny Magic arc to its team. Maybe the Hornets would have been good enough to play in an Eastern Conference Finals or NBA Finals with only Shaq as its centerpiece during the two years Michael Jordan decided to play AA baseball? Either way, the Hornets would have never left Charlotte had O’Neal been with this NBA franchise.
Next: 3. What if he made the Dream Team instead of Christian Laettner?