USA - O'Neal is not of this world

MIAMI (NBA) - Shaquille O'Neal has confirmed what most of his opponents have known for years.

The Miami Heat center's physique - he stands 7ft 1in and weighs 325lbs - makes him virtually impossible to defend for mere mortals.

And O'Neal has now admitted he is not the same as the rest of us.

"I'm a freak of nature," he said. "You've never seen anyone this big, this sexy, move this way. ... My (weight) numbers, sometimes it's going to be a higher number and you earthlings, when you hear a high number because of your level of thinking, you're automatically going to think it's fat.

"I've had 11, 12% body fat my whole career.  But when you've got a big, sexy, beautiful man that's up in the 340s, 350s, the way you guys were taught on this planet, you're going to automatically think it's fat."

Although O'Neal says his weight is currently "something in the 320s" it was said to be as high as 375lbs while he was in Los Angeles with the Lakers.

His claim that he is not of this earth is reminiscent of "Chocalate Thunder" Darryl Dawkin's assertion that he was from the planet Lovetron.

O'Neal, who is putting his gargantuan frame to use in the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks this week, is less clear about his own origins.

"I don't know the name of the planet," he said. "The files were destroyed.  So actually, my mother originally told me I wasn't born, that I was found on a train.  I have a lot of heritage in Texas, but I consider myself a New Jersian.  I was found on the Amtraks in Jersey City."

PA Sport