Who didn't vote for Shaq?

Who Didn’t Vote for Shaq?

In the 1999–2000 NBA season, Shaquille O’Neal delivered one of the most dominant performances in league history. Averaging 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game, he powered the Los Angeles Lakers to a 67-win season and an NBA championship, ultimately earning him the MVP award. But despite this overwhelming dominance, Shaq fell just one vote short of becoming the first unanimous MVP in NBA history.

That missing vote sparked curiosity for years—until it was revealed that the late CNN sports journalist Fred Hickman was the one who didn’t cast his ballot for O’Neal. At the time, Hickman was a voter for the NBA MVP award, and his decision not to select Shaq placed him at the center of a quiet but lasting controversy.

While no official explanation was ever given by Hickman, speculation has swirled over the years. Some suggested he may have favored Tim Duncan, who also had a stellar season with the Spurs and finished second in MVP voting. Others questioned whether media sentiment or narrative bias played a role. Regardless, the choice denied Shaq a unique piece of history—something only Wilt Chamberlain had come close to decades earlier.

In hindsight, the moment highlights how subjective sports awards can be, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Today, with players like Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo later achieving unanimous MVP status, Shaq’s near-miss stands out as a curious footnote in NBA lore. And Fred Hickman’s lone dissent remains one of the most talked-about non-endorsements in sports history.