Watch: Shaquille O’Neal once blocked the ball with so much force that the arena lost power

Shaquille O’Neal is known for many highlight plays through his career. Throwback clips of him shattering backboards with his dunks are common.

He unofficially shattered 13 different hoops during his basketball career. He crashed two when he was with the Orlando Magic. They have since made shatter-proof backboards to protect against the force of O’Neal and other big men.

However, O’Neal once blocked a ball so hard against the backboard that the lights went out. While on the LA Lakers, O’Neal was playing defense and defending the rim.

Rex Chapman of the Phoenix Suns drove to the lane for a seemingly easy layup. O’Neal came out of nowhere and swatted the ball off the glass. The force of the block was so strong that the lights in the arena flickered.

He also knocked out several TV cameras for a few seconds. Check out the video below:

There is some debate though on the block. It looked like the ball was on the way down and the block might have been an obvious goaltend.

Either way, the block was still incredible. The speed and strength from O’Neal was remarkable.

O’Neal’s career highlights

Plays like the power-blackout block were just one of many highlights of O’Neal’s storied career. The big man was a force on both ends and one of the greatest centers of all time.

He is fifth all-time in playoff scoring. He is eighth all-time on the NBA’s scoring list. He was the league’s scoring champion in two different seasons.

The “Big Diesel” won four NBA championships. He won three alongside Kobe Bryant with the LA Lakers and one with Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat.

He won three Finals MVPs and was named the leagues’s MVP in 2000. He was named to 15 All-Star teams. He was also selected to All-NBA 14 times, including eight times on the first team.

O’Neal’s greatness began early in college at LSU. He was a two-time consensus All-American. He also led the nation in blocks and rebounds one season.

O’Neal continues to shine in the spotlight after his career. He is a longtime part of the TV show “Inside the NBA” on TNT. He is a legit DJ who has headlined multiple festivals. He is also one of the best ad spokesperson in advertising and has many business ventures.