Shaq passes Oscar for eighth place on all-time scoring list

Dec 31, 2008 - 6:20 AM MEMPHIS (Ticker) -- Shaquille O'Neal continued his climb up the NBA's all-time scoring charts Tuesday, moving past Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson for eighth place in league history.

Near the end of a 24-point, 13-rebound performance in a victory over Memphis, the veteran center of the Phoenix Suns buried a free throw at the 6:50 mark for his 26,711th career point.

"Oh, I did pass him up? I didn't know that," O'Neal said. "I can remember growing up and my father always bragging about 'Big Oscar.' It's just a credit to my parents for raising me well and a credit to me for working hard and playing hard."

O'Neal, who is 10th in league history at 25.04 points per game, increased his overall career total to 26,715 by night's end. He has done so in a 17-year career spent with four teams.

"I'm really upset with myself that I've missed like 5,000 free throws," Shaq said. "If I would have hit half of those, I'd probably be No. 3 right now. Maybe when it's all said and done, I'll end up in the top five."

O'Neal also likely will pass one of his former nemeses - Houston Rockets great Hakeem Olajuwon - for seventh place at some point this season. He needs 232 more points to reach that next milestone.