Shaq Gets on Wall of Fame

Bigger than life in real life, a massive Shaquille O’Neal is being painted on the side of downtown’s Hotel Figueroa beside similarly sized portraits of Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

As part of Apple computer’s “Think different” advertising campaign, the images capture the Laker centers’ signature moves--Chamberlain’s finger roll, Abdul-Jabbar’s sky hook and O’Neal’s two-handed dunk.

Lee Clow of the TBWA Chiat-Day agency created the concept, and workers appeared close to completing the project Thursday afternoon. O’Neal seemed surprised that he was towering over the city.

“I am?” O’Neal said. “That’s nice. Thank you, painters.”

Leonard Armato, O’Neal’s agent, said they approved the plan without hesitation.

“We did it because it’s a cool promotion around the Lakers’ championship run, and for the symbols of Laker tradition,” he said. “It well represents the mark Laker centers have made on the game.”

O’Neal said he felt great sorrow at the Tuesday night passing of his cousin, New Jersey firefighter Leonard Webb, and that he has been somewhat distracted since.

“But,” he said, “I have strong family support. My cousin passed away doing something he loved to do. Ever since he was a little boy he wanted to be a fireman. He did a great job. He was well respected. I have a strong family, and I just have to move on.

“I’m just going to go out and play, continue to try to play, try to get a win. I know he’s going to be watching. I know the whole family’s going to be watching. He would want me to move on, because he’s sort of like me, a hard-nosed type of guy.”

Webb was 37.

If the question “What’s the deal with Rick’s hair?” has crossed your mind, here’s the deal: Rick Fox won’t cut his hair for fear of jinxing the Lakers’ 17-game winning streak. So, it gets longer, and he gets more creative.

“It’s going so well, nobody wants to touch anything,” said Fox, who wore a hat Thursday. “It’s falling in my eyes, but I don’t want to wear a headband.”

If the team runs the playoffs, Fox said, he’ll leave it be.

“At that point, it’ll take on a life of its own,” he said. “I’ll have to find a way to take it into next season.”

Rookie Mark Madsen’s role in this?

“I just try to make sure no one gets scissors anywhere near Rick’s hair,” he said. “He’s been playing like Samson.”

A handful of Lakers are getting furry, all superstitiously unkempt. Not O’Neal.

“My rituals are kind of weird,” O’Neal said. “You wouldn’t understand my rituals.”