O’Neal Hires Personal Trainer

Shaquille O’Neal has hired a personal trainer, a former Marine from Portland, Ore., whose task it will be to aid the Laker center in the areas of conditioning, strength and body composition, O’Neal’s agents said Thursday.

“It’s definitely a lifestyle decision for Shaquille,” Mike Parris said. “Shaquille went home [from the playoffs] too early. His goal is to put himself and his teammates into a position to climb that mountain one more time.”

Corey Gilday, a trainer and certified nutritionist, this week will move from Portland to Orlando, where O’Neal spends his summers. Workouts start Monday.

O’Neal, 31, weighed about 355 pounds and his body fat was about 20% last week, when he was measured by Laker personnel.