Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant dominated the NBA in the early 2000s due to their incredible talent and unrivaled chemistry on the court. The Los Angeles Lakers’ legendary duo lead the first team since the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s to win three straight championships amid rumors of tension off the court. Their talent indeed played a crucial role in their success, but it was their ability to put aside differences in opinion and work towards a shared goal, that made them one of the greatest NBA duos ever, if not the very greatest.
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Shaquille O’Neal recently appeared in an episode of the
Pat McAfee Show, where he talked about his relationship with Kobe, the public feud, and how he’d do all that again.Shaquille O’Neal would do it all again!
In a recent episode of the Pat McAfee Show, the former Los Angeles Lakers legend, Shaquille O Neal, opened up about his relationship with Kobe Bryant. The duo had a lot of public disagreements which tarnished their relationship in the eyes of the people. However, Shaq had admitted in his eulogy after Kobe’s passing, that their feud was
mostly fabricated publicity stunt to fool the media.Whether Shaq and Kobe disliked each other or not, they shared an effective chemistry on the court and had deep respect for each other. During the show, Shaq told McAfee, “
I love Kobe, you know we had a lot of disagreements. But if I had it all over to do it again, I’d probably do it the same way because he pushed me and I pushed him, and the respect was there.”“You know, people always say, ‘Oh, you didn’t like each other, we didn’t like each other.’ If you go back to the first championship, there’s 15,000 people in the arena, but the 100 people on the floor. I put my hand up, who’s the first person jumping in my arm?”Look at it, look it up.”“So you know, you don’t have to be all lovey-dovey all the time, you just have to have respect,” he added.Shaq said that he loves Kobe despite the fact that they had disagreements during their time playing together. If he had to do it all over again, he would handle their disagreements the same way as they both grew as players as a result of their conflicts, and they did it while maintaining respect for one another.
Read More:?Shaquille O?Neal, Who Once Slapped Kobe Bryant, Got Real on Alleged ?Beef? With Deceased Legend
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Shaq once made a young Kobe’s day
The former four-time NBA champion once shared a heartwarming story about how, when playing for the Orlando Magic, he made a young fan’s day. Kobe Bryant who was that eager young admirer who wanted to meet Penny Hardaway, but was disappointed when the celebrity showed no interest. Despite not knowing who the young kid would become in the future, Shaq stepped in and took a photo with him.
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The duo might have fought a lot and had their ups and downs, but they ultimately shared a close bond.