Miami Heat President Pat Riley recently said that the acquisition of Shaquille O’Neal in 2004 was the most important move in the history of the Miami Heat.

There can be some debate on that, as we all know there was another guy named LeBron James who came here 6 years later. However, O’Neal is going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday night after a stellar NBA career. One that had him win 4 NBA Championships, including the first one in Heat history in 2006.

Shaq didn’t leave on great terms in Miami, but that won’t stop us from remembering his best moments in South Florida. And his moments were so much more than what he did on the court. He changed the culture and helped establish a winning atmosphere. So, here are the top moments of SHAQ when he was with the Miami Heat.

3. Shaq arrives with a promise

Shaquille O’Neal arrived in Miami with a smile and a squirt gun. Yeah, he was ready. And after all the fun of thousands of people welcoming him to the city, he made a promise to the city of Miami that he would deliver a championship to them. He made good on that. And this moment was special for the franchise.

2. Shaq and Wade hook up for epic alley-oop

This really has more to do with the move by Dwyane Wade and the pass, but Shaq was the finisher. What a play it was, probably the most memorable thing that happened on the court between these two. This play was the highlight for the team for a long time.

1. Shaq hands Finals MVP trophy to Wade

This was the passing of the torch, which already happened when Wade averaged 34 PPG in the Finals. However, when Shaq grabbed that Finals MVP trophy, one in which he had won 3 times before, and gave it to Wade, it was significant. And one of the coolest moments in Heat history.

What was some of your favorite moments from Shaq’s time with the Miami Heat?

Here are some of his best plays on the court.