“Kobe (Bryant) Was Never the Alpha”: Shaquille O’Neal Manhandling NBA Player in Resurfaced Footage Triggers Divisive Fan Claims

Shaquille O’Neal is arguably the most dominant player in the history of the game, his strength and size coming in handy when he had to use it in the game. Alongside Kobe Bryant, Shaq won his three-peat in 2002. Kobe indeed needed a dominant player like Shaq or Pau Gasol and won 5 championships in his 20-seasons-long career.

In a resurfaced video from a 1998 game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks, Shaq’s dominance was clearly visible when he manhandles a Mavs forward in style. Fans made controversial statements about the duo making harsh comparisons.

Kobe and his Mamba mentality

Kobe Bryant will always be remembered as someone who modeled his entire game after Michael Jordan and made it his own. There are not many like him to this day who can kill the game with their mind even before you’ve stepped foot on the court. Fans are always divided among the NBA greats. However, Kobe Bryant became a light of inspiration to players who were too young to have watched MJ play. His on-court never-die attitude made him who he was in his playing years in the NBA. During his NBA career, his tenacity on the basketball court defined him.

The approach inspired a whole new generation of players. Kobe’s work ethic, passion and love for the game inspired young athletes to strive for greatness. According to the late Kobe Bryant, the Mamba mentality is “A constant quest to try to be better today than you were yesterday.”

Fans have always considered Kobe the most dedicated player in the game. But in the resurfaced clip from the ’90s, fans have put Shaq above Kobe in the game.

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Fans think “Kobe was never the alpha”

Shaq belongs to the post-Big Man era, which featured some of the greatest centers in basketball history like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. But ever since Shaq joined the Lakers in 1996, he was meaner, stronger and more dominant than anyone before him. There is no one like the Big Diesel in the present NBA. Shaq has now become synonymous with dominance in the game.

In a recently resurfaced video of Shaq’s in-game dominance where he manhandled the Dallas Mavericks player AC Green, one fan commented stating, “Let’s be real, Kobe was never the alpha on them squads, THIS MAN Shaq was. Dude was bullying everyone back then.”

A Kobe fan on the said argument stated, “Shaq never scored 81 points like Kobe.” To this response, a Shaq fan added, “Been saying since then Kobe was nice but those first 3 rings were on the strength of Shaq…people and Kobe lovers forget that.”

One Shaq fan even said, “Shaq chose violence every night.” Another nostalgic fan said, “He was the real deal! I miss physical basketball!”

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What’s your take on this argument? Share your views in the comments!