Renewed Shaq barrels headlong into All-Star 2009

PHOENIX -- Growing up under the watchful eye of Sgt. Phil Harrison, Shaquille O'Neal wasn't allowed to show off his trophies. He could win them. And the little warrior racked up quite a few of them over the years.

They just couldn't go up over the fireplace.

A FLOURISHING BIG CACTUS Shaquille O'Neal has experienced a statistical rebirth this season as he boasts his highest scoring average since 2006-07. Here's a quick look at what the veteran big man has accomplished in his second season with Phoenix. • A 20-10 FORCE AGAIN: Last season, O'Neal had six 20-point, 10-rebound games as he split the season between Miami and Phoenix. So far this season, O'Neal already has reached the 20-10 mark 11 times. • REST UP, BIG GUY: In the 15 times this season O'Neal has played on at least two days rest, the Suns are 9-6 and he's averaging 20.3 ppg and 9.3 rpg in those contests (compared to 17.3 ppg and 8.9 rpg this season). • VIDEO: In a Jan. 29 game against the Suns, O'Neal scored 13 points and passed Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon for seventh on the league's all-time scoring list. Click Here • VIDEO: O'Neal scored 12 points in the Suns' Feb. 6 win over the Warriors and became sixth player in NBA history with more than 27,000 points. Click Here

O'Neal, 36, recalls the lesson when asked if he's taking a mental snapshot of this time in his NBA life. Playing his best basketball in at least three seasons, even as the Suns struggle amid trade rumors that suddenly have included him, the 15-time All-Star isn't wasting time savoring his rebirth.

He didn't bask in the success back then. Why start now?

"I'm different," the Suns center and unofficial host of All-Star 2009 festivities explained. "I'm programmed not to celebrate until it's all over."

Sgt. Harrison didn't want his son to be satisfied with what he had done. But now, it's easy to argue that the fun-loving and media-savvy O'Neal has at times appeared plenty satisfied, especially after the Heat, with O'Neal at center, won the NBA Championship -- Shaq's fourth -- in 2006. The Big Aristotle famously predicted a title for Miami after leaving behind the Lakers and former teammate Kobe Bryant. With the aid of another gifted young cohort -- the Heat's Dwyane Wade -- the prophecy came to pass.

Injuries soon followed, though, accompanied by bouts of ineffective rehab and big weight gains. (For someone 7-foot-1 and at least 350 pounds, there is no such thing as a "small" injury.) O'Neal played in only 40 games in the 2006-07 season. And as the Heat sunk into Biscayne Bay with a loss to the Bulls in the first round that season, the marriage between Miami and O'Neal -- seemingly as perfect a fit on South Beach as in Hollywood -- soured quickly.

Though he didn't consider calling it quits, many wondered if the end of the road was near. He was hurt. He was overweight. His statistics plunged. The once-unstoppable Diesel appeared to be breaking down.

Meanwhile, 2,000 miles away, Suns general manager Steve Kerr and former coach Mike D'Antoni were looking for a spark. So in the middle of last season, they rolled the dice ... and up came No. 32. The wide-open expanse of the desert -- and D'Antoni's wide-open offense -- offered a whole new challenge.

O'Neal led each of his first three teams (the Magic, Lakers and Heat) to the NBA Finals, winning three titles with the Lakers and that one with Miami. But with him in the middle last season, Phoenix -- coming off three straight playoff appearances, including two trips to the Western Conference finals -- was bounced out in the first round by San Antonio.

That loss strengthened O'Neal's resolve as he headed into his 17th season. Healthy and focused once more, the Big Cactus is again motivated by the simplest of goals. "Just to keep winning," he said. "Mr. Russell has 11 and nobody will probably catch up. Mike and Kareem have six, and Magic has five. I'm still in fourth place with Tim."

O'Neal's list of titleholders employs some creative math and a disregard of the record books. Celtics great Bill Russell indeed leads the way with 11 championships, though a number of his Hall of Fame teammates (Sam Jones, John Havlicek, Bob Cousy, etc.) own a lot of rings, too. Robert Horry has seven. Countless others have five or more.

Yet O'Neal appears to have his own hierarchy for the NBA's all-time greats. In his mind, he's still chasing Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, and he's eager to break the tie with Tim Duncan.

Though he's piled up quite a list of accolades over his career, Shaquille O'Neal has no interest in looking back. Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

"I would like to get five before he gets five," O'Neal said of his San Antonio nemesis. "It's a personal thing that goes on between me and Tim."

O'Neal is proud that he's always done things his way. And though he's never sought approval, he appreciates the accolades that come his way. He's plenty aware of his place in history.

"If you pass up a legend, does that make you a legend?" he asked an unsure reporter. "Yeah, I don't know either. Hakeem [Olajuwon] was my idol, he was a great player and I passed him up. I passed up a lot of greats. I'll probably be third or fourth in the history of scoring when I'm done, so I must have done something right.

"There's two ways to be revered as a legend in this world we live in: By what you do and by what the so-called controllers of the pen say," O'Neal said. "I know my name will be in that NBA bible. I know that."

On the list of all-time greats, O'Neal checks in seventh in both points and blocks and 18th in rebounds. This season, he's averaging about 18 points (highest since '05-06) and nine boards while shooting 58 percent and blocking 1.5 shots a game.

Those numbers are even better since Dec. 9. The Big Stimulus Package has been basically a 20-10 guy over the last two months.

"Whereas others thought he was done, he's come back now and he's better," Suns teammate Grant Hill said. "He's certainly getting more touches, but there were times last year when we would go to him and it was almost sad. Now you have to double team him."

One of the reasons that Shaq is playing so well this season is that the Suns are taking great care to keep him healthy. He often doesn't play back-to-back games, and the schedule is mapped out to find other days of rest. There is constant communication between O'Neal, the Phoenix training staff and coaches.

"The big picture is to try to conserve him to make sure we don't have him for 55 [games]," Suns coach Terry Porter said, "but we have him for 65 or 70."

The strategy is working. Shaq has missed only eight games, putting him on pace for 69 after averaging just 53.3 the previous three seasons. Staying on the floor and producing earned O'Neal his first All-Star nod from the coaches, who voted him in as a reserve. Fans voted him in the first 14 times.

O'Neal refers to his All-Star career as bridging three generations of NBA greats. It began with Jordan, Magic and Bird, moved on to Bryant and Allen Iverson and winds down with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and another Orlando center, Dwight Howard.

"I'm the last of the old guys," Shaq said.

Decades ago, farewell tours were common in the NBA. Abdul-Jabbar and Julius Erving enjoyed a season's worth of gifts and accolades. O'Neal isn't looking for any of that, especially this weekend in Phoenix. Instead, he'll be the one putting on a celebration fitting of an All-Star Game in his town.

"I'm always the host," he said. "I'm the Godfather of the NBA. It's my ship and we're going to have a good time."

As for when he takes that last curtain call, O'Neal says he'll know when it's time. And he promises a big party to follow. And those long-forgotten trophies?

They'll come out of the closet along with a message for his kids ... and everyone else.

"Sons, this is what your daddy did. World, this is what's in the history books."