WWE News: The Top 5 Feuds for Shaquille O'Neal Now That He's Retired

Legendary NBA center Shaquille O'Neal announced his retirement via Twitter on Wednesday night after 19 seasons, capping off one of the greatest NBA careers of all time. 

For years, the seven-foot center was considered the single most dominant force in the NBA, and even though he forged a Hall of Fame career, his legacy will still be sprinkled with stories of untapped potential. 

It was not too long ago that O'Neal guest hosted an episode of RAW on a show highlighted by a showdown with the similarly gigantic Big Show.  The memorable showdown sparked rumors of a possible WrestleMania tilt down the line, but O'Neal's contractual obligations with the Cleveland Cavaliers would allow no such encounter. 

Now that O'Neal is retired, however, the door has once again been creaked open for the fun-loving legend to possibly return to a wrestling ring.  O'Neal is an admitted wrestling fan, and if used correctly, he will undoubtedly draw a significant amount of interest, not to mention money. 

It would be especially intriguing if Shaq were to be booked in a WrestleMania 28 match in the same state where his NBA career started. 

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5. The Great Khali

This would obviously be a terrible match, but one hell of a spectacle.  The showdown itself would drive eyeballs to a TV set, and it doesn't hurt that the Great Khali just turned heel. 

A match between Khali and O'Neal would have to be kept extremely short.  Khali is nowhere close to the ring general that a green, untrained wrestler like Shaq would need to put on a decent match. 

With Khali paired up with Jinder Mahal these days, perhaps Shaq could find himself a tag team partner to reduce the workloads of both giants via a tag team match. 

4. Mark Henry

If Mark Henry is the strongest man in the world, he would have a golden opportunity to prove it with a match against Shaquille O'Neal. 

O'Neal towers over the 6'4" Henry by almost a full foot, but what Henry lacks in size he more than makes up for in brute power. 

Taglines promoting the would-be feud could pose the rather intriguing question that would be on everyone's mind:  Is Mark Henry strong enough to lift a diesel? 

3. Kharma

Post-pregnancy Kharma of course.  Sure, WWE has cooled it on the man-woman violence feuds, and understandably so, but Kharma is a different breed of Diva and would be believable in a feud with Shaq Diesel. 

WWE loves using real life aspects to further their storylines, so don't be surprised if Shaq is the subject of a baby-daddy drama in accordance with Kharma's career-halting matrimony. 

2. The Miz

Shaq and the Miz would engage in an entertaining feud from a promo standpoint.  Miz's zingers towards Shaq would be priceless, and O'Neal has been known to hurl his share of high-powered insults in his day as well. 

This is one of the few feuds that could result in a passable match between Miz and O'Neal as Miz continues to grow in the ring. 

Miz still has yet to have a truly career defining match in WWE, and rest assured he would be forever remembered for a high-profile match with the NBA great.  

1. The Big Show

The most obvious choice for a Shaquille O'Neal feud in WWE would be the Big Show.  This is a ready-made feud for the NBA center as the two could pick up right where they left off from their last encounter. 

Show is one of the more underrated in-ring workers as once upon a time he could do things in a wrestling ring that no other athlete his size dared to even attempt. 

Even in present day, Show can still hold his own in the ring, and he knows how to lead a match when it is absolutely necessary.  Show could work a slow-paced contest with O'Neal that builds towards a big spot at the end, just as he did with Floyd Mayweather in a surprisingly stellar match at WrestleMania 24. 

Big Show always seems to be forced into a match or feud at WrestleMania out of respect rather than necessity.  A feud with Shaquille O'Neal would not only be necessary, it would further the already built-in intrigue of a WrestleMania 28 card that currently features the Rock and John Cena in the main event. 

UPDATE -  In light of Shaquille O'Neal's retirement, WWE.com is now teasing a feud with the Big Show.  The baiting quote from the site reads:

"

"WWE Universe member Shaquille O'Neal has had the world abuzz since announcing his retirement from the NBA. After his tussle with Big Show as Raw guest star, WWE fans might wonder if the 15-time All-Star will now look to settle his one-night rivalry."

"

The WWE is one Shaq away from doing the biggest buyrate for a WrestleMania ever.  I wonder if he'd play himself out to the ring.