Fox News Flash top headlines for December 9
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Shaquille O’Neal is one of a handful of NBA fans who expressed joy in the Los Angeles Lakers’ arena changing names.
The Staples Center, the home of the Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, will be getting a new name before the month is over. The arena will be called the Crypto.com under a $700 million naming rights deal.
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Former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal attends the unveiling of the Shaq Courts at the Doolittle Complex donated by Icy Hot and the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation in partnership with the city of Las Vegas Oct. 23, 2021 in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Icy Hot)
"It was a blessing to be able to play in that building.," O’Neal said on "The Big Podcast" after he was asked what his fondest memory was playing in the arena. "To play in front of my favorite actors and actresses, to play in front of my family, score 61 points on my birthday, win championships, three in a row for the city.
"I’m glad they’re taking the name of the Staples Center down because that was our building. Congratulations to the owners for getting a new deal, but hey, the Staples Center belongs to Shaq and Kobe forever."
Shaquille O'Neal (34) and Kobe Bryant (8) of the Los Angeles Lakers against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals during the 2004 NBA Playoffs at Target Center in Minneapolis. (David S. Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
STAPLES CENTER IN LOS ANGELES GETTING NEW NAME IN $700M DEAL: REPORTS
O’Neal and the late Kobe Bryant rejuvenated the Lakers’ franchise after the Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar era was officially over. The team won the NBA championship in 1988 and then didn’t win it again until 2000 in Phil Jackson’s first season with the Lakers.
Kobe Bryant (L) of the Los Angeles Lakers holds the Larry O'Brian trophy as teammate Shaquille O'Neal holds the MVP trophy after winning the NBA Championship against the Indiana Pacers in 2000. (AFP/AFP via Getty Images)
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The 2000 title was the first of three for O’Neal and Bryant. "Black Mamba" would end up winning two more before he retired.
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