Brian Hanlon Sculpture

BATON ROUGE, LA (September 8, 2011) - Louisiana State University and Hanlon Sculpture Studio unveiled a monumental-size bronze statue of LSU and NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal today outside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Among those in attendance included Shaquille O'Neal, his mother Lucille O'Neal, Baton Rouge Mayor Melvin Holden, LSU Chancellor Michael Martin, Director of Athletics Joe Alleva, Sr. Associate AD Eddie Nunez, and many former teammates, coaches, and fans.

"That is the best sculpture in the country," O'Neal declared on Thursday, according to LSU and CBSsports.com. "I am very humbled and honored. It could have been a lot of other guys who got a statue."

The impressive statue which sits on a large granite base stretches nearly twenty feet into the air with the pose based on a young "Shaq" at LSU and his well-known dunking style. The statue was created by world-renowned sculptor Brian Hanlon of New Jersey.

"It is an honor as the Official Sculptor at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to pay tribute to such an extraordinary player on the court, as well as an inspirational personality known throughout the world," said Hanlon.

Brian Hanlon is a classically trained Master Sculptor and founder of Hanlon Sculpture Studio, located in Toms River, NJ. In business since 1991, Brian has sculpted over 200 public art pieces, specializing in bronze statues, and is the Official Sculptor for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Hanlon's recent completions include a statue of Bob Cousy at Holy Cross, Leavander Johnson for Atlantic City, Zan's Garden of Life at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Michael Horrocks at West Chester University, and Scranton, Pennsylvania's firefighter and police memorials. Current projects include, Chuck Bednarik, Yeardley Love, Coach Herb Magee and soon-to-be-unveiled statues of Yogi Berra and Binghamton University's Bearcat mascot.