<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The first thing Heat center Shaquille O'Neal did upon arriving in Miami was invite guard Dwyane Wade out to dinner. Thus began O'Neal's role as team leader, and Heat players seem to be accepting. O'Neal told Wade all the drama that happened between him and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant won't happen between O'Neal and Wade. But O'Neal told Wade not to take his word. He told Wade to ask others about his reputation, which Wade did. After consulting with Heat guard Eddie Jones, a former O'Neal teammate in Los Angeles, and Minnesota forward Kevin Garnett, among others, it seemed Wade liked what he heard. "I said, 'OK, now that we have that established that stuff that happened between me and him we can't ever let that happen between me and you,' " O'Neal said. "I said, 'I don't care whose team it is _ your team, my team _ it doesn't matter to me.' " So far Wade and his teammates like what they see from O'Neal. "He's as advertised," Wade said. "You see him being goofy and you see him being serious when he has to be. But he's a real down-to-earth person." As vital as that talk with Wade might have been toward establishing leadership, others say O'Neal's actions before talking to Wade were the real start of his role as a team leader. By showing up in Miami at a relatively svelte 335 pounds, the 7-1 O'Neal, whose weight was a huge concern in Los Angeles, immediately started leading by example. "It really makes a statement as a leader when you see what he's done," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "They see what he's all about." O'Neal said there's no big secret to how he dropped the weight. He said all he's done is get on a treadmill twice a day for an hour each session. No weight training. No special diet. He said he just got on the treadmill for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening, and in two months he went from 355 pounds with 16 percent body fat to his current 335 pounds with 14 percent body fat. Heat president Pat Riley seems convinced O'Neal's new body should help him continue extend his physical reign. "With Shaquille," Riley said, "you probably should have the most dominant defensive rebounder in the game." From a personal standpoint the numbers O'Neal seems most fixated on don't have anything to do with his ideal weight and body fat, but rather his ideal scoring average (27 points per game) and rebounding average (10 per game). "There's no such thing as an optimum playing weight for me," he said. "It doesn't make sense. I'm going to do what I do, and that's 27-10. If I'm getting my shots like I'm supposed to I'm going to get 27-10." O'Neal has showed on-court leadership, too. While the Heat players have been conducting their pickup basketball games this month at AmericanAirlines Arena, O'Neal has taken a few of them aside and offered tips. When second-year forward Jerome Beasley was coming downcourt and jacking up jumpers, O'Neal offered a tip. "I said, 'B, let me touch the ball first. When they double-team me, then you shoot,' " O'Neal said. Similar words were offered to swingman Rasual Butler when he came downcourt, dribbled between his legs and shot. "I said, 'Rasual, you don't need to do all that stuff,' " O'Neal said. " 'Get me the ball and I'll get you your jumpers.' They used to have to do it by themselves. Now they don't have to do it by themselves." Jones understands what O'Neal means. Jones was a two-time All-Star while playing alongside O'Neal in Los Angeles. Apparently the two are finding their groove again. "It's fun," Jones said. "It's been like old times. That's all we talk about. When I'm running off the screen and make a pass to him to the basket he's like, 'Boy, I used to love that.' "It's just like old times, enjoying the game and making the game a little easier. You don't have to be fighting two defenders or forcing up a shot. You can just play the game." In this case perhaps a game of follow the leader. </div><div align="center">Source </div> <div align="center"> </div> <div align="left">This is real good news to hear. I'm glad he took the time out to sit with Wade and explain what went on in L.A. with Kobe Bryant and why it is important that, if they wish to inscribe their names into the NBA Bible, that they never let it happen between them. It also seems that EJ is also getting along and welcomes the arrival of Shaq as it gives the team it's best shot at a title. Both seem to be having fun and that's gonna be important when they start playing. Lakers fans will be mad to read that he didn't do much to lose the weight.</div>
Does Shaq still plan on reducing his weight to 325, or is he going to stay at 335? I was hoping to see a Shaq under 320 pounds this year. Will that happen?
I'm not sure. He said he wanted to be at 325 by training camp (2 more days left) and Pat Riley said on PTI that his goal for Shaq was 315. Time will tell I guess.
Like you said heatfan83 time will tell. Shaq is determined to lose weight then he will he is one of the most determined player in the league. He wants another ring.
I'll say it again... I can't wait for this season to come. I've been watching my only Wade movie like 200x over and over again getting pumped to watch the season. I won't miss a game... since I live near Toronto I'm goign to watch the game Toronto vs. Miami and gonna get wicked seats to see Wade up close... I CAN"T WAIT!
