Los Angeles Lakers

Heat will retire Shaq's number despite his playing just 3 1/2 years in Miami

Published Dec. 9, 2016 12:34 p.m. ET

Nunzio Ingrassia

The Miami Heat have retired some odd numbers in the franchise’s history.

Michael Jordan’s No. 23 hangs in the rafters despite the Hall of Famer never spending a day as a member of the Heat. Miami Dolphins icon Dan Marino even has his number retired at AmericanAirlines Arena and he never played in the NBA.

So it should come as no surprise that the Heat will retire Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 32 despite the Hall of Famer having spent just 3 1/2 seasons with the franchise. The Heat will hold a halftime ceremony Dec. 22, when the team faces one of Shaq's former franchises – the Los Angeles Lakers.

O’Neal teamed with a then-24-year-old Dwyane Wade to guide the Heat to their first NBA title. Shaq averaged 19.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists and was named an All-Star three times during his time in Miami.

The Lakers retired O'Neal's No. 34 in 2013.

Not really RT"@AbramsonPBP: Oh yeah, the Heat retired Dan Marino's jersey pic.twitter.com/wVePyblSZJ"
— Cyrano de BergerJack (@alfonsohoops) March 17, 2015