Shaquille O'Neal has enjoyed a peaceful, relatively quiet summer.

"The way I like it," the Miami Heat center said Saturday.

Other than making a trip to China for an endorsement deal with a sneaker company and appearing at a golf tournament hosted by Heat teammate Alonzo Mourning, O'Neal has spent the last two months largely shunning the spotlight. Most of his time off has been with his six kids, whose names are freshly tattooed on his mammoth wrists.

Last week, a report stated that Keyon Dooling might be returning to the Heat in a trade, but Magic General Manager Otis Smith put aside those rumors on Thursday.

"It doesn't take a genius to see we're loaded," Smith said Thursday of Orlando's backcourt. "There's nothing to it. [Dooling] is not going anywhere. We like him. We haven't talked to [the Heat]. After the injuries we had there last year, I'd rather be safe than sorry at that spot."

Dwyane Wade rose to acknowledge the crowd chanting his name with 4 minutes left, the only time he got off the bench as the United States routed Senegal 103-58 Thursday to advance to the second round of the world championships.

Wade had the night off, after helping the U.S. rally a day earlier in the win against Italy.
 
The NBA finals MVP for the Heat stood and waved, drawing a loud roar.

"That was a first for me," Wade said. "It was a great experience, though. We play our heart out here to entertain. We gained some fans on this trip."

Chris Bosh scored 20 points and LeBron James added 17 in limited duty for the U.S. team, which remained unbeaten.

The Group D champions depart Friday morning for Saitama, where they will face Australia on Sunday in the round of 16.

The Miami Heat announced today that President and Head Coach Pat Riley will remain on the sidelines as head coach for the 2006-07 season as the Heat defend their first NBA championship.

Riley, the third winningest coach in NBA history, has compiled a 1,151-589 (.661) record in 22 seasons as a head coach. He also ranks second on the NBA?s all-time postseason win list, having compiled a 171-107 (.615) record and has captured five NBA titles as a head coach. In nine seasons with the Heat he has amassed a 395-290 (.577) regular season record and a 34-32 (.515) mark in postseason play with one NBA championship. Riley returned to the bench last season on Dec. 12 after a two-year hiatus and guided the Heat to a 41-20 (.672) record and a Southeast Division title. He then led the Heat to their first NBA championship, culminating with a 95-92 win in Game 6 at Dallas on June 20.  

?After winning the championship, I realized there?s always something meaningful that happens in your life that becomes the primary point of your destiny,? said Riley. ?Winning the championship showed me that I am definitely in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. I can?t wait to get started.?

Shaquille O'Neal said Stephon Marbury should let his play speak for itself and speculated that the Knicks' point guard would have been better off playing another season for Larry Brown.

"If you say you're the best point guard in the world, now you have to come out and show that every night," O'Neal said on SportsNet New York. "The only time when I really say that is when I have a real big game. You never really heard me say I'm the best center to ever play the game. When you say that, you have to come out and show that every night, especially here in New York."

When asked before a game against the Nets during the 2004-05 season how he would match up with Jason Kidd, Marbury replied, "I'm the best point guard in the NBA."

With Jameer Nelson, Carlos Arroyo and Keyon Dooling creating a glut of point guards in Orlando, the club might want to trade Dooling, a source close to the player said.

Dooling played for Miami in 2004-'05 and the source said that the Heat would be interested in reacquiring the guard.

The Miami Heat announced today that they have re-signed center Alonzo Mourning. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

?It?s obviously great to have Zo back,? said Heat President and Head Coach Pat Riley. ?We know how important he is to the city, this franchise, and in helping us try to repeat as NBA champions. It?s a good day for the Miami Heat.?

The Kings signed center Loren Woods on Tuesday.

Woods, a five-year veteran, spent the last two seasons with the Raptors. He also has played for the Heat and Timberwolves, who drafted him in 2001. He averaged 2.3 points and 4.1 rebounds last season.

Seeking to expand its worldwide image, the ambitious Li-Ning shoe company of China has decided it needs to fill some big shoes -- so it's adding Shaquille O'Neal and his 21EEEs to its sports line.

At a press conference in Beijing on Monday, Li-Ning and the Heat superstar announced a five-year deal for a Shaq Dunkman line of basketball products, including shoes, that will feature his image in a Heat jersey and his signature. The goods will be sold in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau.

Li-Ning, little known in the United States, is attempting to move aggressively into the worldwide shoe market. Earlier this year, it entered the American market for the first time by signing Shaq's former Heat teammate, Damon Jones, to a deal. Jones agreed to wear the company's shoes when he plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

An energized Carmelo Anthony had Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski breathing a little easier.

Anthony scored 19 points and Dwyane Wade added 14 to lead Team USA to its fourth exhibition victory prior to the World Championships, a 104-90 triumph over Lithuania on Sunday.