Shaq announces retirement on Twitter

The Diesel is finally out of gas.

Shaquille O'Neal, one of the most dominating players in NBA history and one of the world's biggest sports stars over the last two decades, Wednesday announced his retirement. Fittingly, as one of the first sports celebrities to use social media, Shaq sent his message via Twitter, on which he has over 2.8 million followers.

"We did it. Nineteen years, baby. I want to thank you very much. That's why I'm telling YOU first. I'm about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon," a grinning O'Neal said in a video he posted on the account in the afternoon.

The NBA and the Boston Celtics, his last of six teams, have yet to receive official word from O'Neal. A shell of his former self because of age, weight, conditioning and an Achilles injury that just wouldn't heal, he played just 37 games with the Celtics this season. He did not play in Boston's first-round sweep of the Knicks.

At 7-1 and well over 300 pounds, O'Neal had a rare mix of awe-inspiring power and uncanny athleticism at the center position that recalled the dominance of Wilt Chamberlain and other great centers in basketball history. Earlier this season, Shaq suggested it may never be seen again.

"I think I killed off all the centers," he said, noting how there is no longer an emphasis on developing post-up big men.

"Now all the centers want to play European-style basketball," O'Neal said. "There's only 1.5 to two real centers left and that would be Dwight Howard and Yao Ming. And even Yao Ming steps outside and shoots jumpers.

"The days of the Patrick Ewings and Rik Smits and Kevin Duckworths and Robert Parish are over," he then added, "thanks to me."

The four-time NBA champion and 15-time All-Star took the league by storm as a rookie with the Orlando Magic in 1992-93 and quickly became one of the game's most popular players. He played 19 seasons, including eight with the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he won three championships from 2000-02. The Newark, N.J., native clinched his third in his home state by sweeping the Nets at the Meadowlands. He averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in 1,207 regular- season games and 24.3 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in 216 playoff games.

And along with awe-inspiring talent, he had a larger-than-life personality that transcended sports. He recently had a reality show, "Shaq Vs.", on ABC.

Shaq also made a few attempts at hip hop (he made four albums, but is best known for a freestyle rap he did mocking former teammate Kobe Bryant) and an acting career (he appeared in eight movies, including "Blue Chips" and the box office flop "Kazaam"), though in neither did he find the same success he had on the basketball court.

O'Neal, who turned 39 on March 6 and was the oldest active player in the league, started breaking down later in his career and only twice in his last 10 seasons did he play in at least 70 games during the regular season. He was searching for one more title but fell short teaming up with LeBron James in Cleveland and then joining Boston's Big Three this season.

O'Neal actually had an opportunity to play for the Knicks. "They said there was interest, I said there was interest," O'Neal acknowledged in October, "but at the end I chose Boston."