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Shaq–Kobe feud

May 03, 2024

The Shaq–Kobe feud was the conflict between National Basketball Association (NBA) players Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, who played together for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996–2004.

Shaquille O'Neal (left) and Kobe Bryant helped the Lakers win three straight NBA titles. Though they played well together on the court, the pair had an acrimonious relationship at times in the locker room.[1]

O'Neal and Bryant won three consecutive NBA championships (2000, 2001, 2002), and made an additional NBA Finals appearance in 2004. O'Neal was the NBA Finals MVP in each of their victories. Personal differences and arguments over their respective roles on the Lakers were followed by a trade that sent O'Neal to the Miami Heat while Bryant was re-signed as a free agent by the Lakers. Lakers head coach Phil Jackson wrote a 2004 book, The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, reflecting on the troubles Bryant and O'Neal had during their last season together.

Origins: 1996–1999 edit

1996–1997 edit

 
General manager Jerry West brought O'Neal and Bryant to the Lakers in 1996.

In 1996, the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) acquired the draft rights to high school player Kobe Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets by trading established center Vlade Divac.[2] No NBA team had previously drafted a guard straight from high school.[3] After freeing up salary by parting with other veteran players, they signed free agent All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal later that year. The two sparred in their first three seasons playing together from 1996–1999.[4] Bryant kept his teammates at a distance, answering non-basketball questions with one- or two-word responses. O'Neal told the Lakers when Bryant arrived, "I'm not gonna be babysitting."[5] Bryant had extreme confidence in his ability, which was unusual for an 18-year-old, but some teammates interpreted his confidence as arrogance.[6] O'Neal was wary of Bryant, as a rookie, boasting that he would lead the Lakers in scoring and be the best player in the NBA.[7] Lakers general manager Jerry West criticized O'Neal's leadership for hazing Bryant that season.[8] While O'Neal's personality was good-humored, Bryant's demeanor was all-business and was interpreted by some teammates as selfishness.[9] O'Neal began calling Bryant showboat because of his flashy offensive moves.[10]

In an overtime playoff loss to the Utah Jazz that eliminated the Lakers, O'Neal fouled out with two minutes remaining in regulation. Lakers coach Del Harris designed the Laker offense around the rookie Bryant, who went on to shoot four air balls. Harris explained that Bryant's one-on-one skills made him the best choice.[11] After the game, O'Neal put his arm around Bryant and told him there would be other opportunities.[12] West said the team's shortcoming made O'Neal angry since he was going to be judged by the team's success.[13]

1997–1998 edit

In 1997, Bryant was assigned by the Lakers to play in the NBA Summer League to improve as a team player and learn where to send the ball when he drew double teams.[14] The following season, he was voted as a starter in the 1998 All-Star Game though he was a reserve on the Lakers. The team struggled after the All-Star break, losing seven of their first twelve games, and Bryant had a stretch where he made only 30 of 100 shots. O'Neal wanted a championship immediately, and he did not want to wait for Bryant to mature as a player. Harris thought the NBA and its television broadcaster, NBC, were overexposing Bryant and that he became more of a one-on-one player after the break.[15] Bryant's playing time became reduced. The Lakers were eliminated in the 1998 playoffs in the conference finals after they were swept by the Jazz, 4–0.[16]

1998–1999 edit

In 1998, the team's lockout-shortened 50-game season included the firing of Harris, the interim head coaching stint of Kurt Rambis, and a brief period with Dennis Rodman as a player.[3] During the lockout, O'Neal, Bryant, Derek Fisher, and Corie Blount played a two-on-two basketball game. Bryant was always a physical player during practice, but other players, however, disliked his approach. Fisher said, "That was really the way we all should have been playing. With Kobe's spirit." During the game, O'Neal slapped Bryant. Fisher said neither O'Neal nor Bryant really started it, as they were both being physical.[17]

During the season, the Lakers blamed their problems on what they felt was Bryant's selfish play. At one point, O'Neal pointed at Bryant and told reporters in the locker room, "There's the problem."[18] Bryant's jerseys were outselling O'Neal's in Southern California sporting goods stores, and rumors started that O'Neal was jealous, as he was with Penny Hardaway when they played together for the Orlando Magic. "That's far from the truth", said Fisher. "All Shaq wants to do is win."[19] Asked if he helped Bryant through his growing pains, O'Neal said, "I try not to help guys out too much. Experience is the best teacher ... Kobe's a great player ... He's a new, up-and-coming kid."[19]

O'Neal thought Rambis favored Bryant.[20] Rambis asked O'Neal, the veteran team leader, to heal the rift and talk to Bryant, to which O'Neal reportedly gave him a "blank, cold stare."[21] The rift between O'Neal and Bryant continued into that year's NBA Playoffs. While the Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, they were ultimately swept 4–0 by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round.[22]

Three-peat: 2000–2002 edit

1999–2000 edit

 
Coach Phil Jackson's arrival led to three consecutive NBA championships for the duo.

During the 1999 offseason, West and Lakers owner Jerry Buss agreed to sign the then six-time NBA champion Phil Jackson to a five-year, $30 million contract to be the team's new head coach entering the 1999–2000 season.[22][23][24] Buss was previously a believer in spending conservatively on coaches,[24] but O'Neal and Bryant both encouraged West to hire Jackson.[25] Jackson decided to revolve the offense around O'Neal, who became responsibile for distributing the ball.[26] He also wanted better leadership, physical conditioning, and defense from O'Neal.[27]

Jackson chose to develop a close relationship with O'Neal and not Bryant, calculating that O'Neal's personality craved such a relationship.[28] Bryant missed the season's first fifteen games due to a broken right wrist, allowing the Lakers to focus on O'Neal as Jackson had planned.[29] The results of Jackson's hiring were promising, as the team amassed a 67–15 record (one of the best records in league history). O'Neal led the league in scoring, averaging 29.7 points per game, and he won his first NBA Most Valuable Player Award.[26] During the playoffs, the Lakers fought off the eighth-seeded Sacramento Kings in five games, and then defeated the Phoenix Suns in the second round, four games to one.

It was in the 2000 Western Conference Finals that a defining moment of O'Neal and Bryant's on-court success together occurred. The Lakers were leading the Portland Trail Blazers three games to one, before dropping Game 5 at home and Game 6 in Portland. The Blazers were leading the decisive Game 7 by fifteen points early in the fourth quarter, putting the Lakers on the brink of elimination, before the Lakers mounted a 25–4 rally to take the lead. The comeback run culminated as Bryant drove the lane and threw an alley-oop pass to O'Neal for a one-handed slam dunk after which O'Neal ran upcourt with his mouth agape and both index fingers waving.[30] Bryant extended his hand to O'Neal for a high five, but O'Neal in his celebration did not notice.[31] The Lakers won the game 89–84, and the 13 point comeback after three quarters was the most in a Game 7 in the NBA playoffs. O'Neal had 18 points and 9 rebounds, and Bryant had 25 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 blocked shots.[32] The two players complimented each other on the alley-oop play after the game, and assistant coach Tex Winter thought they came to respect each other.[33]

The Lakers went on to defeat the Indiana Pacers in six games and won their first NBA championship since 1988.[3] The Lakers led the series 2–0 behind O'Neal's dominating presence. The Lakers lost Game 3, which Bryant missed with an ankle injury. After O'Neal fouled out in overtime of Game 4, Jackson spread the floor and had Bryant take over the offense and lead the team to victory. Leading 110–109 with 1:32 remaining in Game 6, Jackson again spread the offense—even with O'Neal on the floor—and again allowed Bryant to take over; the Lakers won the game, 116–111, and the championship.[34] In the ensuing celebration, Bryant was the first person to embrace O'Neal.[35]

The season was not without confrontation, as O'Neal in one team meeting said, "I have something to say. I think Kobe is playing too selfishly for us to win."[36] O'Neal felt pressure to be leader of the team and was upset with Bryant's shot selection. Teammate Ron Harper helped mediate the differences between O'Neal and Bryant.[37] According to Jackson, "Kobe didn't have a selfish agenda; he just felt that the way he had been playing was the best way he could contribute. Gradually, he's seen there is a different way to contribute that incorporates more of the team."[38] Upon arriving at the Lakers that season, Winter said he was stunned to discover the level of hatred O'Neal expressed toward Bryant. "There was a lot of hatred in [O'Neal's] heart ... Kobe just took it and kept going." O'Neal regularly expressed to management that he did not believe the team could win a championship with Bryant. Winter observed that O'Neal influenced the entire team against Bryant.[39] Winter thought that Bryant made it a point to get the ball to O'Neal that year, but O'Neal did not appreciate what Bryant was doing to help him.[27] During that season's All-Star Game, Bryant did not participate in the Slam Dunk Contest and a matchup against Vince Carter, following Jackson's request to pass on individual accomplishments to keep the focus on the team. During All-Star warm-ups, O'Neal mimicked Bryant's crossover dribble but threw the ball into the stands to accentuate Bryant's turnovers.[40] O'Neal said it was an inside joke between Kobe and him.[41] Jackson and Winter relied on the triangle offense to heal the relationship between O'Neal and Bryant. The coaches believed that the offense was so structured to smooth over the relationship between the two players on the court. The coaches also told the team they did not see the selfishness in Bryant that the players saw. Winter even put together a video for O'Neal to show that Bryant was playing his role correctly.[42]

2000–2001 edit

 
Losing Derek Fisher to injury affected the chemistry between O'Neal and Bryant in 2000–01.

In 2001, the Lakers won the title again; however, O'Neal and Bryant began feuding during the season. O'Neal came into training camp out of shape, which disappointed Jackson and also Bryant, who worked hard over the offseason to improve his game. Bryant was leading the league in scoring as 2001 began, and Jackson said Bryant was playing the best ball of his career. O'Neal was shooting below 50 percent during stretches, and his free throw shooting was in the 20 percent range.[43] O'Neal said of the Lakers in January, "When it was clear that everything went through me, the outcome of it was (a record of) 67–15, playing with enthusiasm, the city jumping up and down and a parade. And now we're 23–11. You figure it out ... I don't know why anybody else would want to change – other than selfish reasons."[44] Bryant responded that it was a different year and the roster had undergone some changes and "things change, things evolve, and you just have to grow with that change."[44] Lakers assistant coach Bill Bertka said a key factor was the team's defense after losing Fisher for most of the season.[45] O'Neal requested a trade after a blowout win against the Phoenix Suns where Bryant scored 38 and O'Neal scored 18.[44] Jackson commented that their actions were "juvenile" and they should appreciate each other and play as a team.[44] Bryant was criticized for forcing his offense and not involving his teammates enough.[46] Even O'Neal's stepfather was overheard yelling at Bryant to pass the ball during a game.[47] Bryant told Jackson that the "(triangle) offense is so simple. It doesn't display my talent ... it doesn't give me what I have to have for my game."[47] According to Bryant, the team's defense was the problem and not his increased role in the offense.[48] Bryant said that "scoring shouldn't affect (O'Neal's) defense", while O'Neal maintained that "if the big dog ain't me, then the house won't get guarded – period."[48] Due to O'Neal's sensitivity toward criticism, Jackson overlooked O'Neal's shortcomings while maintaining his criticism of Bryant.[49] West told O'Neal that he also had personal rivalries when he played with all-time greats Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor, but O'Neal needed to "stop being a baby ... put the team's success first."[50]

Magic Johnson later noticed a change in O'Neal: "Shaq is saying 'It's me. I'm the one who has to get into shape, I'm the one who has to be ready for the second half run. I'm the one who has to close the middle down like I did last year.' ... He's not blaming everybody else."[51] Fisher returned on March 13, upgrading the team's defense. The Lakers won their last eight games to finish the regular season with 56 wins. O'Neal averaged 33.7 points over the final 11 games. Bryant, upon returning from an injury, was willing to build off of O'Neal now that the center was in shape and playing defense.[52] Bryant played unselfishly in the playoffs.[46] O'Neal referred to Bryant as "[his] idol" and "the best player in the league, by far" following a victory in Game 1 of that year's Western Conference Finals.[53] The Lakers won the championship after a then-historic 15-1 postseason record. After the lone loss, which was in the opening game of the NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, Jackson criticized O'Neal for his lack of defense.[54] Before the following game, Lakers coach Phil Jackson growled at O'Neal, "Don't be afraid to block a shot!" after O'Neal failed to block a shot in Game 1. O'Neal finished Game 2 with 28 points, 20 rebounds, 9 assists and 8 blocks.[55]

2001–2002 edit

Not much was made public about the feud in the 2001-02 season as the team was set back by injuries, personal tragedies, and national news. O'Neal missed training camp due to surgery on an arthritic toe. He chose not to undergo a more involved surgery that would have kept him out of action for a longer period of time.[56] Still, his toe bothered him throughout the season.[57] Jackson also missed most of camp due to the death of his 94-year-old mother, and Bryant returned to Philadelphia to bury his grandfather. Combined with the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, O'Neal said it would be hard for basketball players to be divided by pettiness.[58]

Despite the rocky season, the Lakers won their third consecutive championship, defeating the New Jersey Nets in the Finals by a 4–0 margin. It was the Lakers' first championship sweep in their history, and O'Neal won his third consecutive NBA Finals MVP.[59] Bryant and O'Neal were complimentary of each other afterwards.[60]

Final years as teammates: 2002–2004 edit

2002–2003 edit

The 2002–03 season began with the three-time defending champions getting off to one of their worst starts. The team was eight games under .500 at 11–19 with their return to the playoffs being questionable. O'Neal was sidelined with hallux rigidus, a degenerative arthritic condition in his toe.[61] O'Neal could have had surgery on his toe early in the summer (which would have allowed him to return to playing sooner), but he decided to wait and have the surgery performed not long before the Lakers' pre-season training camp began. He said, "I got hurt on company time, so I’ll rehab on company time."[62] O'Neal debated whether to have a more invasive surgery that would have kept him out an additional three months, but he opted against the more involved procedure.[61] During the season, Bryant had a nine-game streak where he scored at least 40 points and a 13-game streak where he scored 35 or better. Still, the relationship between O'Neal and Bryant remained peaceful. Jackson ordered Bryant to be more aggressive.[63] The Lakers ended that season with the 5th seed in the Western Conference, failing to get home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games, but were eliminated by eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in the conference semifinals.

2003–2004 edit

The subsequent off-season included accusations and then charges of rape by Bryant in Colorado.[64] On July 16, a little more than two weeks after the initial assault allegations, the Lakers announced the signings of veteran free agents and former All-Stars Karl Malone and Gary Payton, who were recruited by O'Neal.[65][66] After the signings, the Lakers were widely considered the favorite to win the NBA title.[67][68]

O'Neal said that the past comments made to the press by him and by Bryant were "almost like a game." They could handle it until the 2003–04 season.[69] Just prior to the season, Bryant privately warned Jackson, "If [O'Neal] starts saying [unreasonable] things in the press, I'll fire back ... I've had it."[70] There were no public indications of animosity between the two since the 2000–2001 season.[71] With Bryant absent from camp due to his legal situation and his recovery from knee surgery, O'Neal said "the full team is here." Later, after sitting out an exhibition game to rest a sore left heel, O'Neal said, "I want to be right [in the regular season] for Derek [Fisher], Karl and Gary." Bryant was again ignored by O'Neal.[72]

When Bryant joined the Lakers in camp, O'Neal told reporters Bryant should look to be more of a passer than a scorer until Bryant's knee was fully healed. Bryant responded that he knew how to play the guard position, and O'Neal should worry about the low post.[73] O'Neal responded, "Just ask Karl and Gary why they came here. One person. Not two. One. Period."[73] O'Neal agreed that Bryant could handle playing guard, but Bryant needed advice on how to play team ball. O'Neal added that he would voice his opinions as he saw fit because the Lakers were his team. He said that if Bryant—who was scheduled to become a free agent at season's end—didn't like what O'Neal had to say, Bryant should just opt out of his contract; O'Neal added, "I ain't going nowhere."[73] Jackson told the team to not discuss the problem further with reporters.[74]

In a subsequent interview with Jim Gray of ESPN, Bryant questioned O'Neal's claims of team leadership. Bryant claimed that O'Neal came into training camp "fat and out of shape", that O'Neal blamed others for the team's defeats, and that O'Neal previously exaggerated the degree to which injuries had affected his game as a cover for simply being out of condition. Bryant criticized O'Neal's public lobbying for a contract extension when "we have two future Hall of Famers (Malone and Payton) playing here pretty much for free". He also criticized O'Neal for only taking responsibility when the team won. He accused O'Neal of threatening not to put forth his best effort if he was not passed the ball more often. Bryant was also upset that O'Neal did not personally contact him amidst his legal troubles in the summer.[75] O'Neal had his bodyguard, Jerome Crawford, call Bryant.[76] "Everyone knows Jerome is me", said O'Neal.[77]

 
Former teammate Brian Shaw mediated a feud during 2003.

The following day, Lakers scout and former teammate Brian Shaw mediated the conflict between a furious O'Neal and Bryant. Shaw reprimanded O'Neal for yelling "Pay me" at Buss after dunking during a preseason game.[78] Shaw turned to Bryant and told him that Jackson allowed O'Neal time to recover from the physical pounding he endured every season. Bryant, still disappointed at the support he received over the summer, told O'Neal, "You're supposed to be my friend."[79] Shaw questioned why he would believe that when Bryant did not join the team for dinners on the road, failed to attend O'Neal's wedding though invited, and did not invite a single teammate to his own wedding.[80]

Jackson fined Bryant an undisclosed amount for defying his orders to not talk to the press.[74] O'Neal revealed after the season that he promised Malone and Payton he would cease feuding with Bryant in light of his legal situation with the rape charge.[81] On opening night of the season, an injured Bryant sat down next to O'Neal during the Lakers' victory over the Dallas Mavericks. "We put it behind us", Bryant said. "Shaq and I are going to move on, be teammates and help this team to a fourth title."[82]

The Lakers started the season with a 21–3 record, and they received accolades as the greatest NBA team ever. However, the Lakers lost Malone for three months to a knee injury during the winter.[66][83] During the All-Star break, Buss suspended contract negotiations with Jackson, who was seeking to double his salary from $6 million to $12 million on his expiring contract. Jackson had a contract offer outstanding from the Lakers, but he had not acted on it. The Lakers also suspended talks with O'Neal, who wanted an extension with a pay raise on his remaining three years for $30 million. The Lakers hoped O'Neal would take less money due to his age, physical conditioning, and games missed due to injuries. The Los Angeles Times wrote that both of the Lakers moves were a concession to Bryant.[84] The Lakers slid towards mediocrity during the spring. Injuries hampered Los Angeles, keeping them as the fourth seed in the Western Conference midway through the season. The team never came together defensively. Winter said, "Even though Shaq was a big presence, he was not a great shot blocker. And he didn't like to play the screen and roll, so he put his teammates in jeopardy. He didn't like to help [on defense]."[85] In March, after Bryant received internal criticism about his shot selection, he scored just one point while taking three shots in the first half against Orlando which the Lakers trailed by 11. He scored 37 in the second half and tied a team record with 24 in the fourth quarter as the Lakers won in overtime. Against Sacramento in April, Bryant took just one shot in the first half against tight defense. He finished the game with eight points. An anonymous teammate told the Los Angeles Times, "I don't know how we can forgive him." Afterward, Jackson urged Bryant to be more aggressive offensively.[86]

The Lakers ultimately entered the playoffs as the second seed, thanks to an overtime victory versus the Portland Trail Blazers on the final night of the season, due to a pair of buzzer beaters from Bryant.[87] They defeated the Houston Rockets, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Minnesota Timberwolves before advancing to the 2004 NBA Finals, where they were considered a favorite to defeat the Detroit Pistons.[88][89] However, after five games, the Lakers found themselves not only defeated but dominated by the Pistons, who won the NBA title.[90] Winter said, "Shaq defeated himself against Detroit. He played way too passively. He had one big game ... He's always interested in being a scorer, but he hasn't had nearly enough concentration on defense and rebounding."[91]

After the loss, the division between O'Neal and Bryant came to a head. At the news conference after the final game, O'Neal addressed the uncertainty around Coach Phil Jackson's now-expired contract, and Bryant's impending free agency, which meant that either or both might not return to the Lakers the next season. With regard to the problem of people possibly leaving the team, O'Neal commented that everyone including him needed to do what was best for themselves.[92]

Eventually Jackson, a favorite of O'Neal, was not offered a new contract by the Lakers. Many sports analysts and spectators assumed that this was because of Bryant, who had at times voiced displeasure with Jackson's offensive scheme.[93] However, Winter said Jackson announced at the All-Star break that he would not want to return to the Lakers if Bryant returned.[94] Buss also longed for the Lakers to return to the fast break offense of Showtime.[91] After learning of Jackson's departure and hearing Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak say he would consider trading him, O'Neal demanded to be traded.[95] He made it clear that he felt the Laker organization was making moves designed primarily to placate Bryant, saying "The direction they’re going ... I don’t want to be a part of this."[96][97] Bryant, meanwhile, was involved in discussions with the Los Angeles Clippers. O'Neal's demand was soon indulged, as he was sent to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant, and a first-round draft pick.[98] NBA coach and former player Doc Rivers called the relationship between O'Neal and Bryant the "biggest travesty in sports" because they should have remained teammates and won at least five championships together.[99]

O'Neal traded from Lakers: 2004–2006 edit

2004–2005 edit

 
 
Shaquille O'Neal (left) was traded to the Miami Heat while Kobe Bryant (right) re-signed with the Lakers.

A day after O'Neal was traded, Bryant re-signed with the Lakers for seven years and $136 million. Bryant said he enjoyed playing with both Jackson and O'Neal, and he said he did not influence the Lakers' decisions regarding the two. Regardless, newspapers the next day criticized Bryant for his alleged manipulation of the team.[100][101] O'Neal added, "When it came to my leaving, [Kobe] could have spoken up. He could have said something. He didn't say anything." Winter said, "[O'Neal] left because he couldn't get what he wanted—a huge pay raise. There was no way ownership could give him what he wanted. Shaq's demands held the franchise hostage, and the way he went about it didn't please the owner too much."[102]

Later, news came out that Bryant made a reference about O'Neal and paying women for their discretion while being questioned by the police in 2003. According to reports, Bryant stated that he should have paid off his women to remain quiet, like O'Neal. Bryant also stated that O'Neal paid women up to US$1 million for their silence about their encounters with him. It also was reported that investigators had told O'Neal of Bryant's supposed statements shortly after the investigation had begun. O'Neal denied these claims, stating that Bryant had no idea about O'Neal's personal business since the two of them rarely spent any time together. O'Neal went as far as to say that he "[wasn't] the one buying love, [Bryant was] the one buying love", a reference to Bryant's purchase of a multi-million dollar diamond ring for his wife in the aftermath of the revelation that Bryant was unfaithful to her.[103]

In August 2004, the NBA scheduled the Lakers and the Heat to play on Christmas Day. The game registered the NBA's highest regular season television ratings since 1998 and held its spot until a 2008 Christmas Day meeting between the Lakers and the Boston Celtics. In the lead-up to the game, O'Neal referred to Bryant as a "Corvette" and himself as a "brick wall" in an interview with ABC's Al Michaels during halftime of Monday Night Football.[104]

Before the opening tip, Bryant and O'Neal did not talk, but did greet each other by bumping forearms. During the game, Bryant was fouled by O'Neal several times but the contacts were not excessive. O'Neal fouled out late in the fourth quarter but the Heat still won the game in overtime, led by up-and-coming star Dwyane Wade. Bryant missed a potentially game-winning shot as time expired. When asked about the brick wall comment, Bryant said, "I knew there was a lot of talk about the brick wall and all that, but I think that was kind of just to hype the game. Hopefully, this is all behind us now." O'Neal shared a similar tone, saying "I'm over it. It's old news to me."[105] Bryant and O'Neal met on the court twice more during the season, once during the NBA All-Star Game and once more when the Lakers played the Heat on March 17, 2005.

2005–2006 edit

 
O'Neal with President George W. Bush after his fourth championship.

In the following season, Bryant and O'Neal did not engage in further public attacks. However, hard feelings were apparently still present when they refused to refer to each other by name while talking to the media. The Lakers and the Heat faced off again on Christmas Day in 2005, with the Heat winning the second time. Unlike last year, Bryant and O'Neal did not shake hands nor make eye contact with each other before and after the game. O'Neal said, "It was just another game to me."[106] Bryant said "I wasn't even thinking about it. It is what it is."[107]

Prior to their January 16, 2006 meeting, O'Neal greeted Bryant on the court warmly, a departure from his previous attitude toward Bryant. The two shook hands and hugged before tip-off.[108][109] After Bryant scored 81 points in a single game against the Toronto Raptors, O'Neal refused to comment to the media about it.[110] O'Neal broke his silence a few weeks later during a media session at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, when he acknowledged that he watched Bryant's 81-point game and offered praise for the performance.[111] During the All-Star Game itself, the two were seen laughing and joking together.[112] O'Neal and the Heat won the NBA title that season. In his 2011 autobiography, Shaq Uncut: My Story, O'Neal wrote of the championship, "I had proven I could win anywhere—not just with some shot-happy guard in Los Angeles."[113]

O'Neal indirectly referenced the feud in his cameo appearance in the 2006 movie Scary Movie 4. O'Neal is kidnapped in the movie in a Saw parody, and he hears a frightening voice. A terrified O'Neal then asks, "Kobe?"[114][115]

De-escalation of the feud: 2006–2011 edit

2006–2007 edit

In 2007, O'Neal said that Bryant should have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, which was awarded to Dirk Nowitzki.[116] During the offseason, Bryant was "beyond furious" at reports from a Laker insider that Bryant had insisted O'Neal be traded from the Lakers.[117] Bryant reported that Buss said, "I am not going to re-sign Shaq. I am not about to pay him $30 million a year or $80 million over three years ... His body is breaking down, and I don't want to pay that money to him when I can get value for him right now rather than wait ... It doesn't matter to me what you do in free agency because I do not want to pay [Shaq], period."[117] O'Neal agreed with Bryant: "There's no doubt in my mind Kobe is telling the truth. I believe him a thousand percent ... I would have respected Dr. Buss more as a man if he would have told me that himself, because I know he said it."[117]

2007–2008 edit

In 2008, O'Neal reiterated his belief that Bryant deserved the MVP award.[118] Bryant went on to win the award for the first time in his career that season. During the offseason, O'Neal was at a party, and got up to rap in front of the crowd. O'Neal mentioned Bryant multiple times in the rap, saying that "Kobe couldn't do it without me", referring to Bryant and the Lakers loss in the 2008 NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics. He also rapped, "Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes".[119] During the rap, O'Neal also blamed his divorce on Bryant's comments to investigators in 2004 about O'Neal paying off women.[120] Bryant commented that he "didn't take (O'Neal's rap) any kind of way whatsoever."[121] O'Neal later said he was freestyling and that "it was all done in fun. Nothing serious whatsoever ... I'm totally cool with Kobe. No issue at all."[122] Rap artist Snoop Dogg, a Laker fan, agreed that "Shaq has all access and the right to do and say what he wants to say in fun, in the spirit of rap."[123]

2008–2009 edit

In November of the 2008–09 season, O'Neal told reporters that he believed the entire feud was the Lakers head coach Phil Jackson's fault. O'Neal later retracted the statement and apologized, interrupting one of Jackson's pre-game interviews to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.[124] On January 29, 2009, in an interview with Stephen A. Smith, O'Neal claimed that the feud between him and Bryant was simply a marketing ploy, saying "We helped you hype it up. I know what I'm doing, brother. I'm the smartest player in the world." On Bryant, O'Neal claimed that he "always did love Kobe." On Jackson, O'Neal claimed he is "the greatest coach ever, and he's done a lot for me. Phil's my guy. It's all marketing, baby." O'Neal also added that had he stayed with the Lakers, he and Bryant would have won another three or four titles. "We're still the greatest little-man, big-man 1-2 punch ever created in the history of the game", O'Neal said.[125] At the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, O'Neal, Bryant, and Jackson were all reunited on the West squad. O'Neal and Bryant were both named co-MVPs for the game and were shown laughing and hugging during the game.[126] O'Neal told Bryant to keep the MVP trophy, but Bryant instead gave it to O'Neal's son.[127] For O'Neal, Bryant's gesture marked a turning point in their relationship.[128] Bryant and the Lakers faced the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals, winning the series in five games. Shaq showed support for Kobe, on his Twitter page saying: "thats right i am saying it today and today only, i want kobe bryant to get number 4, spread da word [sic]".[129]

2009–2010 edit

 
Bryant and the Lakers visiting President Barack Obama after his fifth NBA title.

After the Lakers once again won the title in Game 7 of the 2010 Finals, Bryant was asked what it meant to him personally. He responded, "Just one more than Shaq ... I can take that to the bank." Bryant won five NBA titles and O'Neal won four. Bryant added, "You guys know how I am. I don't forget anything."[130] O'Neal again congratulated Bryant on his Twitter page: "Congratulations Kobe, u deserve it. U played great. Enjoy it man enjoy it. I know what ur sayin 'Shaq how my ass taste' [sic]."[131] He later revealed to Bryant that he was privately furious after seeing Bryant win his fifth championship, and hearing Bryant's words about him caused O'Neal to vandalize his own house in his anger.[132]

2010–2011 edit

Upon hearing Bryant's comment about having more titles than O'Neal, Wyc Grousbeck, principal owner of the Boston Celtics, said to Danny Ainge, Celtics' president, "Let's go get Shaq."[133] O'Neal signed a two-year contract with the Celtics for the 2010–11 and 2011–12 season for the league minimum of $1.3 million and adding to the Celtics–Lakers rivalry. Bill Simmons of ESPN speculated that O'Neal wanted to tie Bryant with five titles and that still "Shaq hates Kobe and Kobe hates Shaq."[134] O'Neal said he didn't "compete with little guys who run around dominating the ball, throwing up 30 shots a night – like D-Wade, Kobe." O'Neal added that he is only competing against Tim Duncan: "If Tim Duncan gets five rings, then that gives some writer the chance to say 'Duncan is the best,' and I can't have that."[135] Kobe and Shaq played each other one last time on January 30, 2011, with Shaq's Celtics prevailing over Kobe's Lakers in a 109–96 victory. However, O'Neal was held scoreless, as he was now relegated to a role player.[136] The teams faced again a week and a half later, but O'Neal did not play as he was dealing with an injury.

Post-playing careers edit

O'Neal announced his retirement via social media on June 1, 2011.[137][138] Two days later, O'Neal held a press conference at his home in Orlando to officially announce his retirement.[139] When asked who was the greatest player he ever played with during his career, O'Neal did not answer, but Bryant was the only player whose name was mentioned.[140] He also mentioned that his departure from Los Angeles has nothing to do with Kobe Bryant, saying "the reason I left wasn't about what Kobe did; it was about something else. I was making maximum dollars and felt I deserved more. It was a business end." When asked whether leaving Los Angeles was a bad decision, he answered "I don't like to live in a world of ifs, but if we would have stayed, possibly we could have got six [championships]."[140]

After his retirement, O'Neal was hired by Turner Sports as an NBA analyst. When asked whether it would be difficult for him to criticize Bryant, he answered "I have the ability and the backing to give fair criticism. The only time I have trouble with people giving criticism is when they haven't walked that walk. I've walked many walks in my 19-year career, so I think any criticism that I give should be fair."[141] During the 2011 NBA lockout, Bryant discussed his problems with O'Neal with a radio station in Italy, saying "I like players who workout. I used to do that 6–7 hours per day. I cannot stand players who practice for 30 minutes."[142] O'Neal countered that he did not need to work out, and that "My three Finals MVPs speaks for itself."[143]

On February 6, 2012, Bryant passed O'Neal for fifth place on the all-time scoring list. Bryant said it was an honor because of their championships together. O'Neal congratulated Bryant, saying "I'm proud of him. I'm happy for him, and, most of all, I want to thank him for being a part of the greatest 1-2 punch ever created, never to be duplicated."[144] Bryant stated on radio the following day that he and O'Neal were never going to last as teammates. Bryant recalled: "There was an interview that I heard Shaq do which he kind of threw down the challenge of me not being able to win without him. After I read that, I said, 'Aw, that's it.' Some comparison that he made with me and Penny Hardaway, and once I read that, I said, 'You know what? I can't finish my career with people saying that. There's no way.'"[145] In 2013, Bryant said that the two "have a really, really good relationship now", calling it "a good lesson for all of us."[146] He said the two had "mutual respect" for each other,[147] while O'Neal commented that they had an "athletic dislike" for each other but "never had a real dislike".[148] That year, the Lakers retired O'Neal's No. 34 during a halftime ceremony. Bryant did not attend the ceremony, but called O'Neal "the most gifted physical specimen I've ever seen play this game" in a recorded video during the event.[148][149] Questioned about his absence, Bryant told the media, "I appreciate you guys trying to start some stuff for old times' sake."[149] Later, it came out that Bryant had missed the ceremony because he had been receiving treatment from the Lakers' training staff.[150]

In 2015, O'Neal launched The Big Podcast with Bryant as his first guest. O'Neal introduced Bryant as "the greatest Laker ever" as the two reflected on their feud.[151]

In November 2015, Bryant announced his intention to retire following the 2015–16 NBA season. On March 22, 2016, following a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Inside the NBA crew held an interview with Bryant. In reference to his final career game against the Utah Jazz on April 13, O'Neal asked Bryant, “Can you promise me one thing? I need 50 [points] that night.” Bryant laughed and responded, “Uh, no ... absolutely not."[152] Three weeks later, Bryant led the Lakers to a come-from-behind 101–96 victory over the Jazz with a 60–point performance, outscoring the entire Jazz team 23–21 in the fourth quarter. He was then taken off the floor with 4.1 seconds remaining, to an uproarious Staples Center crowd. O'Neal, who was in attendance, embraced Bryant on the court shortly after the final buzzer.[153][154] When asked about Bryant's legacy during a segment on TNT, O'Neal repeated his praise of Bryant as "the greatest Laker ever."[155]

One year later, O'Neal was honored by the Lakers with a statue of his likeness outside Staples Center. Bryant was in attendance of the statue's unveiling and spoke at the event, which O'Neal said "meant a lot" to him.[156] Addressing Kobe during the ceremony, O'Neal said, "Next time we're out here for a statue, it'll probably be your statue."[157]

In February 2018, both players recorded a Players Only special for NBA TV where they spoke about their history together, the mutual respect and appreciation, and explanations and regrets over the tensions and feud. Bryant also joked about having more championships than O'Neal.[158]

In August 2019, in an interview with Patrick Bet-David's Valuetainment channel, Bryant stated that he would have won 12 rings, if O'Neal had a better work ethic.[159][160][161]

On January 26, 2020, Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, died in a helicopter crash along with seven other people.[162] O'Neal expressed his sorrow on Twitter soon after official reports of Bryant's death were released.[163] Two days after the crash on January 28, a scheduled matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers was postponed out of respect for Bryant and with the game due to air on TNT, the Inside the NBA crew opted to instead broadcast a live show at center court of the empty Staples Center, during which O'Neal embarked on a nearly 7-minute long tearful monologue, expressing his disbelief and heartbreak over Bryant and his daughter’s death.[164] During Bryant's public memorial service on February 24, 2020, O'Neal was one of the major speakers, providing a speech on their time together as teammates.[165]

On May 15, 2021, Bryant was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame. O'Neal, who was present at the ceremony, said that while he and Bryant always argued, they always respected each other, and their respect was the reason they won three consecutive championships.

On February 8, 2024, the day of Kobe's statue unveiling, Shaq called Bryant “the most competitive player I’ve ever seen and the best teammate I ever had.”[166]

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Bibliography edit

External links edit

  • Kobe Bryant vs. Shaquille O'Neal Comparison at LandOfBasketball.com
  • Head-to-Head: Games Played Between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal at LandOfBasketball.com

May 03, 2024
shaq, kobe, feud, conflict, between, national, basketball, association, players, shaquille, neal, kobe, bryant, played, together, angeles, lakers, from, 1996, 2004, shaquille, neal, left, kobe, bryant, helped, lakers, three, straight, titles, though, they, pla. The Shaq Kobe feud was the conflict between National Basketball Association NBA players Shaquille O Neal and Kobe Bryant who played together for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 2004 Shaquille O Neal left and Kobe Bryant helped the Lakers win three straight NBA titles Though they played well together on the court the pair had an acrimonious relationship at times in the locker room 1 O Neal and Bryant won three consecutive NBA championships 2000 2001 2002 and made an additional NBA Finals appearance in 2004 O Neal was the NBA Finals MVP in each of their victories Personal differences and arguments over their respective roles on the Lakers were followed by a trade that sent O Neal to the Miami Heat while Bryant was re signed as a free agent by the Lakers Lakers head coach Phil Jackson wrote a 2004 book The Last Season A Team in Search of Its Soul reflecting on the troubles Bryant and O Neal had during their last season together Contents 1 Origins 1996 1999 1 1 1996 1997 1 2 1997 1998 1 3 1998 1999 2 Three peat 2000 2002 2 1 1999 2000 2 2 2000 2001 2 3 2001 2002 3 Final years as teammates 2002 2004 3 1 2002 2003 3 2 2003 2004 4 O Neal traded from Lakers 2004 2006 4 1 2004 2005 4 2 2005 2006 5 De escalation of the feud 2006 2011 5 1 2006 2007 5 2 2007 2008 5 3 2008 2009 5 4 2009 2010 5 5 2010 2011 6 Post playing careers 7 References 7 1 Bibliography 8 External linksOrigins 1996 1999 edit1996 1997 edit nbsp General manager Jerry West brought O Neal and Bryant to the Lakers in 1996 In 1996 the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association NBA acquired the draft rights to high school player Kobe Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets by trading established center Vlade Divac 2 No NBA team had previously drafted a guard straight from high school 3 After freeing up salary by parting with other veteran players they signed free agent All Star center Shaquille O Neal later that year The two sparred in their first three seasons playing together from 1996 1999 4 Bryant kept his teammates at a distance answering non basketball questions with one or two word responses O Neal told the Lakers when Bryant arrived I m not gonna be babysitting 5 Bryant had extreme confidence in his ability which was unusual for an 18 year old but some teammates interpreted his confidence as arrogance 6 O Neal was wary of Bryant as a rookie boasting that he would lead the Lakers in scoring and be the best player in the NBA 7 Lakers general manager Jerry West criticized O Neal s leadership for hazing Bryant that season 8 While O Neal s personality was good humored Bryant s demeanor was all business and was interpreted by some teammates as selfishness 9 O Neal began calling Bryant showboat because of his flashy offensive moves 10 In an overtime playoff loss to the Utah Jazz that eliminated the Lakers O Neal fouled out with two minutes remaining in regulation Lakers coach Del Harris designed the Laker offense around the rookie Bryant who went on to shoot four air balls Harris explained that Bryant s one on one skills made him the best choice 11 After the game O Neal put his arm around Bryant and told him there would be other opportunities 12 West said the team s shortcoming made O Neal angry since he was going to be judged by the team s success 13 1997 1998 edit In 1997 Bryant was assigned by the Lakers to play in the NBA Summer League to improve as a team player and learn where to send the ball when he drew double teams 14 The following season he was voted as a starter in the 1998 All Star Game though he was a reserve on the Lakers The team struggled after the All Star break losing seven of their first twelve games and Bryant had a stretch where he made only 30 of 100 shots O Neal wanted a championship immediately and he did not want to wait for Bryant to mature as a player Harris thought the NBA and its television broadcaster NBC were overexposing Bryant and that he became more of a one on one player after the break 15 Bryant s playing time became reduced The Lakers were eliminated in the 1998 playoffs in the conference finals after they were swept by the Jazz 4 0 16 1998 1999 edit In 1998 the team s lockout shortened 50 game season included the firing of Harris the interim head coaching stint of Kurt Rambis and a brief period with Dennis Rodman as a player 3 During the lockout O Neal Bryant Derek Fisher and Corie Blount played a two on two basketball game Bryant was always a physical player during practice but other players however disliked his approach Fisher said That was really the way we all should have been playing With Kobe s spirit During the game O Neal slapped Bryant Fisher said neither O Neal nor Bryant really started it as they were both being physical 17 During the season the Lakers blamed their problems on what they felt was Bryant s selfish play At one point O Neal pointed at Bryant and told reporters in the locker room There s the problem 18 Bryant s jerseys were outselling O Neal s in Southern California sporting goods stores and rumors started that O Neal was jealous as he was with Penny Hardaway when they played together for the Orlando Magic That s far from the truth said Fisher All Shaq wants to do is win 19 Asked if he helped Bryant through his growing pains O Neal said I try not to help guys out too much Experience is the best teacher Kobe s a great player He s a new up and coming kid 19 O Neal thought Rambis favored Bryant 20 Rambis asked O Neal the veteran team leader to heal the rift and talk to Bryant to which O Neal reportedly gave him a blank cold stare 21 The rift between O Neal and Bryant continued into that year s NBA Playoffs While the Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs they were ultimately swept 4 0 by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round 22 Three peat 2000 2002 edit1999 2000 edit nbsp Coach Phil Jackson s arrival led to three consecutive NBA championships for the duo During the 1999 offseason West and Lakers owner Jerry Buss agreed to sign the then six time NBA champion Phil Jackson to a five year 30 million contract to be the team s new head coach entering the 1999 2000 season 22 23 24 Buss was previously a believer in spending conservatively on coaches 24 but O Neal and Bryant both encouraged West to hire Jackson 25 Jackson decided to revolve the offense around O Neal who became responsibile for distributing the ball 26 He also wanted better leadership physical conditioning and defense from O Neal 27 Jackson chose to develop a close relationship with O Neal and not Bryant calculating that O Neal s personality craved such a relationship 28 Bryant missed the season s first fifteen games due to a broken right wrist allowing the Lakers to focus on O Neal as Jackson had planned 29 The results of Jackson s hiring were promising as the team amassed a 67 15 record one of the best records in league history O Neal led the league in scoring averaging 29 7 points per game and he won his first NBA Most Valuable Player Award 26 During the playoffs the Lakers fought off the eighth seeded Sacramento Kings in five games and then defeated the Phoenix Suns in the second round four games to one It was in the 2000 Western Conference Finals that a defining moment of O Neal and Bryant s on court success together occurred The Lakers were leading the Portland Trail Blazers three games to one before dropping Game 5 at home and Game 6 in Portland The Blazers were leading the decisive Game 7 by fifteen points early in the fourth quarter putting the Lakers on the brink of elimination before the Lakers mounted a 25 4 rally to take the lead The comeback run culminated as Bryant drove the lane and threw an alley oop pass to O Neal for a one handed slam dunk after which O Neal ran upcourt with his mouth agape and both index fingers waving 30 Bryant extended his hand to O Neal for a high five but O Neal in his celebration did not notice 31 The Lakers won the game 89 84 and the 13 point comeback after three quarters was the most in a Game 7 in the NBA playoffs O Neal had 18 points and 9 rebounds and Bryant had 25 points 11 rebounds 7 assists and 4 blocked shots 32 The two players complimented each other on the alley oop play after the game and assistant coach Tex Winter thought they came to respect each other 33 The Lakers went on to defeat the Indiana Pacers in six games and won their first NBA championship since 1988 3 The Lakers led the series 2 0 behind O Neal s dominating presence The Lakers lost Game 3 which Bryant missed with an ankle injury After O Neal fouled out in overtime of Game 4 Jackson spread the floor and had Bryant take over the offense and lead the team to victory Leading 110 109 with 1 32 remaining in Game 6 Jackson again spread the offense even with O Neal on the floor and again allowed Bryant to take over the Lakers won the game 116 111 and the championship 34 In the ensuing celebration Bryant was the first person to embrace O Neal 35 The season was not without confrontation as O Neal in one team meeting said I have something to say I think Kobe is playing too selfishly for us to win 36 O Neal felt pressure to be leader of the team and was upset with Bryant s shot selection Teammate Ron Harper helped mediate the differences between O Neal and Bryant 37 According to Jackson Kobe didn t have a selfish agenda he just felt that the way he had been playing was the best way he could contribute Gradually he s seen there is a different way to contribute that incorporates more of the team 38 Upon arriving at the Lakers that season Winter said he was stunned to discover the level of hatred O Neal expressed toward Bryant There was a lot of hatred in O Neal s heart Kobe just took it and kept going O Neal regularly expressed to management that he did not believe the team could win a championship with Bryant Winter observed that O Neal influenced the entire team against Bryant 39 Winter thought that Bryant made it a point to get the ball to O Neal that year but O Neal did not appreciate what Bryant was doing to help him 27 During that season s All Star Game Bryant did not participate in the Slam Dunk Contest and a matchup against Vince Carter following Jackson s request to pass on individual accomplishments to keep the focus on the team During All Star warm ups O Neal mimicked Bryant s crossover dribble but threw the ball into the stands to accentuate Bryant s turnovers 40 O Neal said it was an inside joke between Kobe and him 41 Jackson and Winter relied on the triangle offense to heal the relationship between O Neal and Bryant The coaches believed that the offense was so structured to smooth over the relationship between the two players on the court The coaches also told the team they did not see the selfishness in Bryant that the players saw Winter even put together a video for O Neal to show that Bryant was playing his role correctly 42 2000 2001 edit nbsp Losing Derek Fisher to injury affected the chemistry between O Neal and Bryant in 2000 01 In 2001 the Lakers won the title again however O Neal and Bryant began feuding during the season O Neal came into training camp out of shape which disappointed Jackson and also Bryant who worked hard over the offseason to improve his game Bryant was leading the league in scoring as 2001 began and Jackson said Bryant was playing the best ball of his career O Neal was shooting below 50 percent during stretches and his free throw shooting was in the 20 percent range 43 O Neal said of the Lakers in January When it was clear that everything went through me the outcome of it was a record of 67 15 playing with enthusiasm the city jumping up and down and a parade And now we re 23 11 You figure it out I don t know why anybody else would want to change other than selfish reasons 44 Bryant responded that it was a different year and the roster had undergone some changes and things change things evolve and you just have to grow with that change 44 Lakers assistant coach Bill Bertka said a key factor was the team s defense after losing Fisher for most of the season 45 O Neal requested a trade after a blowout win against the Phoenix Suns where Bryant scored 38 and O Neal scored 18 44 Jackson commented that their actions were juvenile and they should appreciate each other and play as a team 44 Bryant was criticized for forcing his offense and not involving his teammates enough 46 Even O Neal s stepfather was overheard yelling at Bryant to pass the ball during a game 47 Bryant told Jackson that the triangle offense is so simple It doesn t display my talent it doesn t give me what I have to have for my game 47 According to Bryant the team s defense was the problem and not his increased role in the offense 48 Bryant said that scoring shouldn t affect O Neal s defense while O Neal maintained that if the big dog ain t me then the house won t get guarded period 48 Due to O Neal s sensitivity toward criticism Jackson overlooked O Neal s shortcomings while maintaining his criticism of Bryant 49 West told O Neal that he also had personal rivalries when he played with all time greats Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor but O Neal needed to stop being a baby put the team s success first 50 Magic Johnson later noticed a change in O Neal Shaq is saying It s me I m the one who has to get into shape I m the one who has to be ready for the second half run I m the one who has to close the middle down like I did last year He s not blaming everybody else 51 Fisher returned on March 13 upgrading the team s defense The Lakers won their last eight games to finish the regular season with 56 wins O Neal averaged 33 7 points over the final 11 games Bryant upon returning from an injury was willing to build off of O Neal now that the center was in shape and playing defense 52 Bryant played unselfishly in the playoffs 46 O Neal referred to Bryant as his idol and the best player in the league by far following a victory in Game 1 of that year s Western Conference Finals 53 The Lakers won the championship after a then historic 15 1 postseason record After the lone loss which was in the opening game of the NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers Jackson criticized O Neal for his lack of defense 54 Before the following game Lakers coach Phil Jackson growled at O Neal Don t be afraid to block a shot after O Neal failed to block a shot in Game 1 O Neal finished Game 2 with 28 points 20 rebounds 9 assists and 8 blocks 55 2001 2002 edit Not much was made public about the feud in the 2001 02 season as the team was set back by injuries personal tragedies and national news O Neal missed training camp due to surgery on an arthritic toe He chose not to undergo a more involved surgery that would have kept him out of action for a longer period of time 56 Still his toe bothered him throughout the season 57 Jackson also missed most of camp due to the death of his 94 year old mother and Bryant returned to Philadelphia to bury his grandfather Combined with the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center O Neal said it would be hard for basketball players to be divided by pettiness 58 Despite the rocky season the Lakers won their third consecutive championship defeating the New Jersey Nets in the Finals by a 4 0 margin It was the Lakers first championship sweep in their history and O Neal won his third consecutive NBA Finals MVP 59 Bryant and O Neal were complimentary of each other afterwards 60 Final years as teammates 2002 2004 edit2002 2003 edit The 2002 03 season began with the three time defending champions getting off to one of their worst starts The team was eight games under 500 at 11 19 with their return to the playoffs being questionable O Neal was sidelined with hallux rigidus a degenerative arthritic condition in his toe 61 O Neal could have had surgery on his toe early in the summer which would have allowed him to return to playing sooner but he decided to wait and have the surgery performed not long before the Lakers pre season training camp began He said I got hurt on company time so I ll rehab on company time 62 O Neal debated whether to have a more invasive surgery that would have kept him out an additional three months but he opted against the more involved procedure 61 During the season Bryant had a nine game streak where he scored at least 40 points and a 13 game streak where he scored 35 or better Still the relationship between O Neal and Bryant remained peaceful Jackson ordered Bryant to be more aggressive 63 The Lakers ended that season with the 5th seed in the Western Conference failing to get home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs They defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games but were eliminated by eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in the conference semifinals 2003 2004 edit The subsequent off season included accusations and then charges of rape by Bryant in Colorado 64 On July 16 a little more than two weeks after the initial assault allegations the Lakers announced the signings of veteran free agents and former All Stars Karl Malone and Gary Payton who were recruited by O Neal 65 66 After the signings the Lakers were widely considered the favorite to win the NBA title 67 68 O Neal said that the past comments made to the press by him and by Bryant were almost like a game They could handle it until the 2003 04 season 69 Just prior to the season Bryant privately warned Jackson If O Neal starts saying unreasonable things in the press I ll fire back I ve had it 70 There were no public indications of animosity between the two since the 2000 2001 season 71 With Bryant absent from camp due to his legal situation and his recovery from knee surgery O Neal said the full team is here Later after sitting out an exhibition game to rest a sore left heel O Neal said I want to be right in the regular season for Derek Fisher Karl and Gary Bryant was again ignored by O Neal 72 When Bryant joined the Lakers in camp O Neal told reporters Bryant should look to be more of a passer than a scorer until Bryant s knee was fully healed Bryant responded that he knew how to play the guard position and O Neal should worry about the low post 73 O Neal responded Just ask Karl and Gary why they came here One person Not two One Period 73 O Neal agreed that Bryant could handle playing guard but Bryant needed advice on how to play team ball O Neal added that he would voice his opinions as he saw fit because the Lakers were his team He said that if Bryant who was scheduled to become a free agent at season s end didn t like what O Neal had to say Bryant should just opt out of his contract O Neal added I ain t going nowhere 73 Jackson told the team to not discuss the problem further with reporters 74 In a subsequent interview with Jim Gray of ESPN Bryant questioned O Neal s claims of team leadership Bryant claimed that O Neal came into training camp fat and out of shape that O Neal blamed others for the team s defeats and that O Neal previously exaggerated the degree to which injuries had affected his game as a cover for simply being out of condition Bryant criticized O Neal s public lobbying for a contract extension when we have two future Hall of Famers Malone and Payton playing here pretty much for free He also criticized O Neal for only taking responsibility when the team won He accused O Neal of threatening not to put forth his best effort if he was not passed the ball more often Bryant was also upset that O Neal did not personally contact him amidst his legal troubles in the summer 75 O Neal had his bodyguard Jerome Crawford call Bryant 76 Everyone knows Jerome is me said O Neal 77 nbsp Former teammate Brian Shaw mediated a feud during 2003 The following day Lakers scout and former teammate Brian Shaw mediated the conflict between a furious O Neal and Bryant Shaw reprimanded O Neal for yelling Pay me at Buss after dunking during a preseason game 78 Shaw turned to Bryant and told him that Jackson allowed O Neal time to recover from the physical pounding he endured every season Bryant still disappointed at the support he received over the summer told O Neal You re supposed to be my friend 79 Shaw questioned why he would believe that when Bryant did not join the team for dinners on the road failed to attend O Neal s wedding though invited and did not invite a single teammate to his own wedding 80 Jackson fined Bryant an undisclosed amount for defying his orders to not talk to the press 74 O Neal revealed after the season that he promised Malone and Payton he would cease feuding with Bryant in light of his legal situation with the rape charge 81 On opening night of the season an injured Bryant sat down next to O Neal during the Lakers victory over the Dallas Mavericks We put it behind us Bryant said Shaq and I are going to move on be teammates and help this team to a fourth title 82 The Lakers started the season with a 21 3 record and they received accolades as the greatest NBA team ever However the Lakers lost Malone for three months to a knee injury during the winter 66 83 During the All Star break Buss suspended contract negotiations with Jackson who was seeking to double his salary from 6 million to 12 million on his expiring contract Jackson had a contract offer outstanding from the Lakers but he had not acted on it The Lakers also suspended talks with O Neal who wanted an extension with a pay raise on his remaining three years for 30 million The Lakers hoped O Neal would take less money due to his age physical conditioning and games missed due to injuries The Los Angeles Times wrote that both of the Lakers moves were a concession to Bryant 84 The Lakers slid towards mediocrity during the spring Injuries hampered Los Angeles keeping them as the fourth seed in the Western Conference midway through the season The team never came together defensively Winter said Even though Shaq was a big presence he was not a great shot blocker And he didn t like to play the screen and roll so he put his teammates in jeopardy He didn t like to help on defense 85 In March after Bryant received internal criticism about his shot selection he scored just one point while taking three shots in the first half against Orlando which the Lakers trailed by 11 He scored 37 in the second half and tied a team record with 24 in the fourth quarter as the Lakers won in overtime Against Sacramento in April Bryant took just one shot in the first half against tight defense He finished the game with eight points An anonymous teammate told the Los Angeles Times I don t know how we can forgive him Afterward Jackson urged Bryant to be more aggressive offensively 86 The Lakers ultimately entered the playoffs as the second seed thanks to an overtime victory versus the Portland Trail Blazers on the final night of the season due to a pair of buzzer beaters from Bryant 87 They defeated the Houston Rockets the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves before advancing to the 2004 NBA Finals where they were considered a favorite to defeat the Detroit Pistons 88 89 However after five games the Lakers found themselves not only defeated but dominated by the Pistons who won the NBA title 90 Winter said Shaq defeated himself against Detroit He played way too passively He had one big game He s always interested in being a scorer but he hasn t had nearly enough concentration on defense and rebounding 91 After the loss the division between O Neal and Bryant came to a head At the news conference after the final game O Neal addressed the uncertainty around Coach Phil Jackson s now expired contract and Bryant s impending free agency which meant that either or both might not return to the Lakers the next season With regard to the problem of people possibly leaving the team O Neal commented that everyone including him needed to do what was best for themselves 92 Eventually Jackson a favorite of O Neal was not offered a new contract by the Lakers Many sports analysts and spectators assumed that this was because of Bryant who had at times voiced displeasure with Jackson s offensive scheme 93 However Winter said Jackson announced at the All Star break that he would not want to return to the Lakers if Bryant returned 94 Buss also longed for the Lakers to return to the fast break offense of Showtime 91 After learning of Jackson s departure and hearing Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak say he would consider trading him O Neal demanded to be traded 95 He made it clear that he felt the Laker organization was making moves designed primarily to placate Bryant saying The direction they re going I don t want to be a part of this 96 97 Bryant meanwhile was involved in discussions with the Los Angeles Clippers O Neal s demand was soon indulged as he was sent to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom Caron Butler Brian Grant and a first round draft pick 98 NBA coach and former player Doc Rivers called the relationship between O Neal and Bryant the biggest travesty in sports because they should have remained teammates and won at least five championships together 99 O Neal traded from Lakers 2004 2006 edit2004 2005 edit nbsp nbsp Shaquille O Neal left was traded to the Miami Heat while Kobe Bryant right re signed with the Lakers A day after O Neal was traded Bryant re signed with the Lakers for seven years and 136 million Bryant said he enjoyed playing with both Jackson and O Neal and he said he did not influence the Lakers decisions regarding the two Regardless newspapers the next day criticized Bryant for his alleged manipulation of the team 100 101 O Neal added When it came to my leaving Kobe could have spoken up He could have said something He didn t say anything Winter said O Neal left because he couldn t get what he wanted a huge pay raise There was no way ownership could give him what he wanted Shaq s demands held the franchise hostage and the way he went about it didn t please the owner too much 102 Later news came out that Bryant made a reference about O Neal and paying women for their discretion while being questioned by the police in 2003 According to reports Bryant stated that he should have paid off his women to remain quiet like O Neal Bryant also stated that O Neal paid women up to US 1 million for their silence about their encounters with him It also was reported that investigators had told O Neal of Bryant s supposed statements shortly after the investigation had begun O Neal denied these claims stating that Bryant had no idea about O Neal s personal business since the two of them rarely spent any time together O Neal went as far as to say that he wasn t the one buying love Bryant was the one buying love a reference to Bryant s purchase of a multi million dollar diamond ring for his wife in the aftermath of the revelation that Bryant was unfaithful to her 103 In August 2004 the NBA scheduled the Lakers and the Heat to play on Christmas Day The game registered the NBA s highest regular season television ratings since 1998 and held its spot until a 2008 Christmas Day meeting between the Lakers and the Boston Celtics In the lead up to the game O Neal referred to Bryant as a Corvette and himself as a brick wall in an interview with ABC s Al Michaels during halftime of Monday Night Football 104 Before the opening tip Bryant and O Neal did not talk but did greet each other by bumping forearms During the game Bryant was fouled by O Neal several times but the contacts were not excessive O Neal fouled out late in the fourth quarter but the Heat still won the game in overtime led by up and coming star Dwyane Wade Bryant missed a potentially game winning shot as time expired When asked about the brick wall comment Bryant said I knew there was a lot of talk about the brick wall and all that but I think that was kind of just to hype the game Hopefully this is all behind us now O Neal shared a similar tone saying I m over it It s old news to me 105 Bryant and O Neal met on the court twice more during the season once during the NBA All Star Game and once more when the Lakers played the Heat on March 17 2005 2005 2006 edit nbsp O Neal with President George W Bush after his fourth championship In the following season Bryant and O Neal did not engage in further public attacks However hard feelings were apparently still present when they refused to refer to each other by name while talking to the media The Lakers and the Heat faced off again on Christmas Day in 2005 with the Heat winning the second time Unlike last year Bryant and O Neal did not shake hands nor make eye contact with each other before and after the game O Neal said It was just another game to me 106 Bryant said I wasn t even thinking about it It is what it is 107 Prior to their January 16 2006 meeting O Neal greeted Bryant on the court warmly a departure from his previous attitude toward Bryant The two shook hands and hugged before tip off 108 109 After Bryant scored 81 points in a single game against the Toronto Raptors O Neal refused to comment to the media about it 110 O Neal broke his silence a few weeks later during a media session at the 2006 NBA All Star Game when he acknowledged that he watched Bryant s 81 point game and offered praise for the performance 111 During the All Star Game itself the two were seen laughing and joking together 112 O Neal and the Heat won the NBA title that season In his 2011 autobiography Shaq Uncut My Story O Neal wrote of the championship I had proven I could win anywhere not just with some shot happy guard in Los Angeles 113 O Neal indirectly referenced the feud in his cameo appearance in the 2006 movie Scary Movie 4 O Neal is kidnapped in the movie in a Saw parody and he hears a frightening voice A terrified O Neal then asks Kobe 114 115 De escalation of the feud 2006 2011 edit2006 2007 edit In 2007 O Neal said that Bryant should have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award which was awarded to Dirk Nowitzki 116 During the offseason Bryant was beyond furious at reports from a Laker insider that Bryant had insisted O Neal be traded from the Lakers 117 Bryant reported that Buss said I am not going to re sign Shaq I am not about to pay him 30 million a year or 80 million over three years His body is breaking down and I don t want to pay that money to him when I can get value for him right now rather than wait It doesn t matter to me what you do in free agency because I do not want to pay Shaq period 117 O Neal agreed with Bryant There s no doubt in my mind Kobe is telling the truth I believe him a thousand percent I would have respected Dr Buss more as a man if he would have told me that himself because I know he said it 117 2007 2008 edit In 2008 O Neal reiterated his belief that Bryant deserved the MVP award 118 Bryant went on to win the award for the first time in his career that season During the offseason O Neal was at a party and got up to rap in front of the crowd O Neal mentioned Bryant multiple times in the rap saying that Kobe couldn t do it without me referring to Bryant and the Lakers loss in the 2008 NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics He also rapped Kobe tell me how my ass tastes 119 During the rap O Neal also blamed his divorce on Bryant s comments to investigators in 2004 about O Neal paying off women 120 Bryant commented that he didn t take O Neal s rap any kind of way whatsoever 121 O Neal later said he was freestyling and that it was all done in fun Nothing serious whatsoever I m totally cool with Kobe No issue at all 122 Rap artist Snoop Dogg a Laker fan agreed that Shaq has all access and the right to do and say what he wants to say in fun in the spirit of rap 123 2008 2009 edit In November of the 2008 09 season O Neal told reporters that he believed the entire feud was the Lakers head coach Phil Jackson s fault O Neal later retracted the statement and apologized interrupting one of Jackson s pre game interviews to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek 124 On January 29 2009 in an interview with Stephen A Smith O Neal claimed that the feud between him and Bryant was simply a marketing ploy saying We helped you hype it up I know what I m doing brother I m the smartest player in the world On Bryant O Neal claimed that he always did love Kobe On Jackson O Neal claimed he is the greatest coach ever and he s done a lot for me Phil s my guy It s all marketing baby O Neal also added that had he stayed with the Lakers he and Bryant would have won another three or four titles We re still the greatest little man big man 1 2 punch ever created in the history of the game O Neal said 125 At the 2009 NBA All Star Game O Neal Bryant and Jackson were all reunited on the West squad O Neal and Bryant were both named co MVPs for the game and were shown laughing and hugging during the game 126 O Neal told Bryant to keep the MVP trophy but Bryant instead gave it to O Neal s son 127 For O Neal Bryant s gesture marked a turning point in their relationship 128 Bryant and the Lakers faced the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals winning the series in five games Shaq showed support for Kobe on his Twitter page saying thats right i am saying it today and today only i want kobe bryant to get number 4 spread da word sic 129 2009 2010 edit nbsp Bryant and the Lakers visiting President Barack Obama after his fifth NBA title After the Lakers once again won the title in Game 7 of the 2010 Finals Bryant was asked what it meant to him personally He responded Just one more than Shaq I can take that to the bank Bryant won five NBA titles and O Neal won four Bryant added You guys know how I am I don t forget anything 130 O Neal again congratulated Bryant on his Twitter page Congratulations Kobe u deserve it U played great Enjoy it man enjoy it I know what ur sayin Shaq how my ass taste sic 131 He later revealed to Bryant that he was privately furious after seeing Bryant win his fifth championship and hearing Bryant s words about him caused O Neal to vandalize his own house in his anger 132 2010 2011 edit Upon hearing Bryant s comment about having more titles than O Neal Wyc Grousbeck principal owner of the Boston Celtics said to Danny Ainge Celtics president Let s go get Shaq 133 O Neal signed a two year contract with the Celtics for the 2010 11 and 2011 12 season for the league minimum of 1 3 million and adding to the Celtics Lakers rivalry Bill Simmons of ESPN speculated that O Neal wanted to tie Bryant with five titles and that still Shaq hates Kobe and Kobe hates Shaq 134 O Neal said he didn t compete with little guys who run around dominating the ball throwing up 30 shots a night like D Wade Kobe O Neal added that he is only competing against Tim Duncan If Tim Duncan gets five rings then that gives some writer the chance to say Duncan is the best and I can t have that 135 Kobe and Shaq played each other one last time on January 30 2011 with Shaq s Celtics prevailing over Kobe s Lakers in a 109 96 victory However O Neal was held scoreless as he was now relegated to a role player 136 The teams faced again a week and a half later but O Neal did not play as he was dealing with an injury Post playing careers editO Neal announced his retirement via social media on June 1 2011 137 138 Two days later O Neal held a press conference at his home in Orlando to officially announce his retirement 139 When asked who was the greatest player he ever played with during his career O Neal did not answer but Bryant was the only player whose name was mentioned 140 He also mentioned that his departure from Los Angeles has nothing to do with Kobe Bryant saying the reason I left wasn t about what Kobe did it was about something else I was making maximum dollars and felt I deserved more It was a business end When asked whether leaving Los Angeles was a bad decision he answered I don t like to live in a world of ifs but if we would have stayed possibly we could have got six championships 140 After his retirement O Neal was hired by Turner Sports as an NBA analyst When asked whether it would be difficult for him to criticize Bryant he answered I have the ability and the backing to give fair criticism The only time I have trouble with people giving criticism is when they haven t walked that walk I ve walked many walks in my 19 year career so I think any criticism that I give should be fair 141 During the 2011 NBA lockout Bryant discussed his problems with O Neal with a radio station in Italy saying I like players who workout I used to do that 6 7 hours per day I cannot stand players who practice for 30 minutes 142 O Neal countered that he did not need to work out and that My three Finals MVPs speaks for itself 143 On February 6 2012 Bryant passed O Neal for fifth place on the all time scoring list Bryant said it was an honor because of their championships together O Neal congratulated Bryant saying I m proud of him I m happy for him and most of all I want to thank him for being a part of the greatest 1 2 punch ever created never to be duplicated 144 Bryant stated on radio the following day that he and O Neal were never going to last as teammates Bryant recalled There was an interview that I heard Shaq do which he kind of threw down the challenge of me not being able to win without him After I read that I said Aw that s it Some comparison that he made with me and Penny Hardaway and once I read that I said You know what I can t finish my career with people saying that There s no way 145 In 2013 Bryant said that the two have a really really good relationship now calling it a good lesson for all of us 146 He said the two had mutual respect for each other 147 while O Neal commented that they had an athletic dislike for each other but never had a real dislike 148 That year the Lakers retired O Neal s No 34 during a halftime ceremony Bryant did not attend the ceremony but called O Neal the most gifted physical specimen I ve ever seen play this game in a recorded video during the event 148 149 Questioned about his absence Bryant told the media I appreciate you guys trying to start some stuff for old times sake 149 Later it came out that Bryant had missed the ceremony because he had been receiving treatment from the Lakers training staff 150 In 2015 O Neal launched The Big Podcast with Bryant as his first guest O Neal introduced Bryant as the greatest Laker ever as the two reflected on their feud 151 In November 2015 Bryant announced his intention to retire following the 2015 16 NBA season On March 22 2016 following a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies the Inside the NBA crew held an interview with Bryant In reference to his final career game against the Utah Jazz on April 13 O Neal asked Bryant Can you promise me one thing I need 50 points that night Bryant laughed and responded Uh no absolutely not 152 Three weeks later Bryant led the Lakers to a come from behind 101 96 victory over the Jazz with a 60 point performance outscoring the entire Jazz team 23 21 in the fourth quarter He was then taken off the floor with 4 1 seconds remaining to an uproarious Staples Center crowd O Neal who was in attendance embraced Bryant on the court shortly after the final buzzer 153 154 When asked about Bryant s legacy during a segment on TNT O Neal repeated his praise of Bryant as the greatest Laker ever 155 One year later O Neal was honored by the Lakers with a statue of his likeness outside Staples Center Bryant was in attendance of the statue s unveiling and spoke at the event which O Neal said meant a lot to him 156 Addressing Kobe during the ceremony O Neal said Next time we re out here for a statue it ll probably be your statue 157 In February 2018 both players recorded a Players Only special for NBA TV where they spoke about their history together the mutual respect and appreciation and explanations and regrets over the tensions and feud Bryant also joked about having more championships than O Neal 158 In August 2019 in an interview with Patrick Bet David s Valuetainment channel Bryant stated that he would have won 12 rings if O Neal had a better work ethic 159 160 161 On January 26 2020 Bryant and his 13 year old daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash along with seven other people 162 O Neal expressed his sorrow on Twitter soon after official reports of Bryant s death were released 163 Two days after the crash on January 28 a scheduled matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers was postponed out of respect for Bryant and with the game due to air on TNT the Inside the NBA crew opted to instead broadcast a live show at center court of the empty Staples Center during which O Neal embarked on a nearly 7 minute long tearful monologue expressing his disbelief and heartbreak over Bryant and his daughter s death 164 During Bryant s public memorial service on February 24 2020 O Neal was one of the major speakers providing a speech on their time together as teammates 165 On May 15 2021 Bryant was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame O Neal who was present at the ceremony said that while he and Bryant always argued they always respected each other and their respect was the reason they won three consecutive championships On February 8 2024 the day of Kobe s statue unveiling Shaq called Bryant the most competitive player I ve ever seen and the best teammate I ever had 166 References edit Lazenby pp 378 9 399 400 428 9 Green Jr Ron March 5 2010 Kobe Bryant was once a Charlotte Hornet for 13 days Charlotte Observer Retrieved July 17 2010 West knew no NBA team had drafted a backcourt player straight out of high school permanent dead link a b c History of the Lakers NBA com Retrieved July 17 2010 The arrival of Shaquille O Neal necessitated the trading of longtime center Vlade Divac and the trading or renouncement of several other veterans Plotz David June 1 2001 Los Angeles Lakers Why the NBA s unbeatable team will collapse but not this month The Washington Post Company Retrieved July 17 2010 Nothing in either man s character suggests he will be satisfied playing second banana Lazenby 2006 p 323 Lazenby 2006 p 324 O Neal Shaquille MacMullan Jackie 2011 Shaq Uncut My Story Grand Central Publishing pp 123 124 ISBN 978 1 4555 0441 1 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 131 Lazenby 2006 p 325 Lazenby 2006 p 328 Lazenby 2006 p 332 Lazenby 2006 pp 336 7 Lazenby 2006 p 335 Lazenby 2006 p 337 Lazenby 2006 pp 339 342 Lazenby 2006 pp 345 7 Lazenby 2006 p 349 Lazenby 2006 pp 350 1 a b Lazenby 2006 p 351 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 132 Lazenby 2006 p 361 a b Armour Terrence E June 14 1999 Jackson Set To Sign 4 year Lakers Contract Chicago Tribune Retrieved July 28 2010 There also was a growing rift between O Neal and Bryant and it carried over into the playoffs Lazenby 2006 pp 363 6 a b Wharton David March 3 2013 Lakers owner Jerry Buss brought Showtime success to L A Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on August 11 2014 Lazenby 2006 p 366 a b Lazenby 2006 p 378 a b Lazenby 2006 p 380 Lazenby 2006 p 379 Lazenby 2006 pp 378 380 Kamenetzky Andy Kamenetzky Brian May 27 2010 Top 10 Lakers playoffs moments Kobe to Shaq cements Game 7 comeback against Portland ESPN com Retrieved August 25 2010 Kobe drives the lane as Shaq drifts towards the basket while signaling for a lob The alley oop goes up O Neal stuffs it down one handed then races upcourt mouth agape two index fingers out in salute of everyone in his sight line Kobe Bryant vs Shaquille O Neal Where Amazingly Sad Happens ESPN com May 27 2010 Retrieved August 25 2010 O Neal throws it down and the camera follows him as he heads down the court yelling in celebration totally blowing right past Kobe who has his hand out to high five Shaq Kobe half heartedly grabs at O Neal s forearm as he passes Shaq doesn t even notice Dreadful drought Blazers dry spell allows Lakers to take Game 7 CNNSI com Associated Press June 5 2000 Retrieved August 25 2010 Before Sunday the biggest comeback in a Game 7 was a mere six points Lazenby 2006 p 387 8 Lazenby 2006 p 389 91 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 135 Wise Mike April 1 2001 PRO BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK Bryant Feels Like a Square In Lakers Triangle Offense The New York Times Retrieved July 28 2010 In one passage Jackson quotes O Neal at a team meeting last season I have something to say I think Kobe is playing too selfishly for us to win O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 140 Taylor Phil April 24 2000 Boy Ii Man Erstwhile teen hot dog Kobe Bryant has grown into a consummate team player which is a big reason the Lakers are huge favorites to win the NBA title SI com CNN Retrieved August 19 2010 Kobe didn t have a selfish agenda he just felt that the way he had been playing was the best way he could contribute Lazenby 2006 pp 378 9 Lazenby 2006 p 383 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 146 Lazenby 2006 pp 379 80 Lazenby 2006 pp 398 9 a b c d Ortiz Jorge L January 14 2001 Shaq Kobe Feud Threatens Lakers Reign San Francisco Chronicle Retrieved July 29 2010 When it was clear that everything went through me the outcome of it was a record of 67 15 playing with enthusiasm the city jumping up and down and a parade And now we re 23 11 You figure it out O Neal said We did it last year it worked out to the city s and to the organization s favor So I don t know why anybody else would want to change other than selfish reasons Lazenby 2006 p 398 a b Moore David Leon May 8 2002 Bryant continues to hold court USA Today Retrieved July 28 2010 Last season however Bryant s tendency to force his offense and ignore his teammates caused a potentially serious rift between him and O Neal a b Turner Broderick March 22 2001 Jackson Bryant not on same page The Press Enterprise Retrieved July 28 2010 O Neal s step father Phil Harrison was overhead yelling at Bryant during Sunday s game in Orlando telling the guard to pass the ball O Neal said he didn t know if it was true permanent dead link a b Wise Mike January 11 2001 PRO BASKETBALL Tension Between O Neal and Bryant Is Rising Every Day The New York Times Retrieved August 5 2010 Asked to interpret O Neal comments he replied All we ask from Shaq is to be the dominant presence that he is and play solid defense That s it Scoring shouldn t affect his defense Lazenby 2006 p 399 Lazenby 2006 p 401 Lazenby 2006 p 402 Lazenby 2006 pp 402 3 Kobe Seals Sweet 16 NBA com May 19 2001 Retrieved July 19 2010 I told Kobe that he was my idol I m serious He s playing phenomenal I think he s the best player in the league by far Lazenby 2006 p 404 Heisler Mark May 11 2011 Phil Jackson s tenure produced the most success and fun we ve ever seen Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on May 17 2011 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 153 Brown Tim August 14 2002 O Neal Surgery Is Likely Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on December 9 2013 Lazenby 2006 p 407 Lazenby 2006 p 410 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 154 a b O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 155 Ventre Mark September 30 2004 Shaq Should Shut His Big Mouth NBCSports com Archived from the original on September 6 2012 Before the 2002 03 season he waited until right before the season to get surgery on his toe Later he explained I got hurt on company time so I ll rehab on company time Lazenby 2006 p 417 8 Kobe Bryant charged with sexual assault CNN July 18 2003 Lakers Sign Free Agents Gary Payton and Karl Malone NBA com Turner Sports Interactive Inc July 16 2003 Retrieved April 20 2011 a b Lazenby 2006 p 422 Wise Mike October 4 2003 Pro Basketball With Bryant Absent Lakers Begin Practicing The New York Times Retrieved April 20 2011 May Peter October 28 2003 Lakers are a lock for turmoil The Boston Globe Retrieved April 20 2011 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 172 Excerpt Bryant s trial attitude took toll on Jackson Lakers SI com CNN October 12 2004 Retrieved August 2 2010 I m not going to take any s from Shaq uille O Neal this year Kobe blurted out If he starts saying things in the press I ll fire back I m not afraid to go up against him I ve had it Bryant says it s business as usual Deseret News Associated Press October 30 2003 Retrieved August 10 2010 This was the first overt sign of hostility between them since midway through the 2000 01 season Stein Marc October 26 2003 Shaq calls Lakers my team ESPN com Retrieved August 11 2010 O Neal said at the time that the full team is here leading some to speculate that he preferred to play this season without the distractions attached to Bryant s court case a b c Heisler Mark November 21 2008 Inside the Kobe Shaq feud SI com CNN Retrieved July 17 2010 a b Shaq Kobe feud leads to team meeting Deseret News Associated Press October 29 2003 Retrieved August 10 2010 At practice Monday Jackson ordered the team not to discuss the dust up with reporters He fined Bryant for defying that order by talking to ESPN later that day Bryant Kobe October 28 2003 Kobe critical of Shaq s leadership Interview Interviewed by Jim Gray ESPN Retrieved July 17 2010 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 166 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 170 O Neal MacMullan 2011 pp 168 169 O Neal MacMullan 2011 pp 170 171 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 171 Friend Tom June 21 2004 Shaq knew he d be shown the door ESPN The Magazine Retrieved July 28 2010 And the reason is he d promised Malone and Payton back in November he d stay off Kobe s case Payton Malone set the tone in Kobe s absence ESPN com October 28 2003 Retrieved July 19 2010 Bryant sat alongside O Neal for the start of the fourth quarter and stayed on the bench for the rest of the game Karl Malone Bio nba com Retrieved August 24 2010 Due to a knee injury and subsequent surgery he missed 40 games but did return near season s end only to re injure his knee in the 2004 NBA Finals against the Detroit Pistons Lazenby 2006 pp 421 423 Lazenby 2006 p 426 Lazenby 2006 pp 425 6 Kobe sends game to OT wins it in 2OT ESPN com April 14 2004 Retrieved August 24 2010 They showed it Wednesday night in the regular season finale when Kobe Bryant s 3 pointer at the end of double overtime gave the Lakers a 105 104 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers and more importantly the Pacific Division title Broussard Chris June 9 2004 Pro Basketball Lakers Crush Pistons Hope Of Taking The First 2 The New York Times Retrieved April 28 2011 Lakers are heavy favorite The Detroit News June 2 2004 Wojnowski Bob June 16 2004 Pistons finish Lakers era begin own USA Today Retrieved April 28 2011 a b Lazenby 2006 p 428 Broussard Chris June 17 2004 Jackson s Off Season Likely to Be Long The New York Times Retrieved August 24 2010 This summer is going to be a different summer for a lot of people O Neal said Everyone is going to take care of their own business and everyone that is going to do what s best for them including me Broussard Chris June 19 2004 Wheels Come Off Lakers Dynasty The New York Times Retrieved August 24 2010 The feeling throughout the Lakers organization is that Bryant is behind these moves Lazenby 2006 p 423 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 174 75 Shaq holds firm in his demand The Albany Herald June 27 2004 Retrieved April 21 2011 Jackson Not Returning Shaq Requested Trade nbcsports com MSNBC June 20 2004 Archived from the original on August 18 2012 Retrieved April 21 2011 Lakers Acquire Odom Butler Grant and a Future First Rounder for Shaq nba com July 14 2004 Retrieved August 24 2010 The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired forward Lamar Odom forward Caron Butler forward Brian Grant and a future first round draft pick from the Miami Heat in exchange for center Shaquille O Neal it was announced today O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 156 Lazenby 2006 pp 429 30 Kobe denies getting Jackson Shaq ousted nbcsports com MSNBC July 16 2004 Archived from the original on November 25 2009 Retrieved August 24 2010 The decision came a day after the Lakers traded fellow superstar Shaquille O Neal to the Miami Heat Now it will be Bryant along with incoming coach Rudy Tomjanovich and Heat imports Lamar Odom Caron Butler and Brian Grant who will lead them into the future Lazenby 2006 p 434 Shaq angrily denies paying sex hush money MSNBC com September 30 2004 Archived from the original on June 25 2010 Retrieved July 18 2010 he should have done what Shaq does that Shaq would pay his women not to say anything Shaq on Kobe He s a Corvette I m a brick wall USA Today Associated Press December 20 2004 Retrieved July 19 2010 If you ve got a Corvette that runs into a brick wall you know what s gonna happen DuPree David December 27 2004 Shaq Heat get best of Bryant USA Today p C 14 Reynolds Tim December 25 2005 No Christmas cheer in Miami as Heat edge Lakers 97 92 USA Today Retrieved April 26 2011 Shaq and Heat beat Kobe and Lakers Charleston Daily Mail December 26 2005 p 4 B O Neal Squashes Feud With Bryant The Washington Post January 18 2006 Retrieved July 28 2010 I had orders from the great Bill Russell O Neal said Me and him were talking in Seattle the other day and he was telling me how rivalries should be I asked him if he ever disliked anybody he played against and he told me No never and he told me that I should shake Kobe Bryant s hand and let bygones be bygones and bury the hatchet O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 231 Plaschke Bill January 25 2006 There s Still a Lot of 8 Hate Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on March 6 2016 Heisler Mark February 18 2006 Finalists Named for Hall of Fame Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on December 10 2015 Wurst Matthew D February 19 2006 55 Things About the 55th All Star Game NBA com Archived from the original on April 11 2010 Retrieved July 28 2010 What happened after Shaq and Kobe got entangled in the lane during the first quarter Nothing but laughter all around O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 197 Harvey Steve October 16 2007 Dana Point authorities answer wild cries for help Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on March 6 2016 Guerra Joey April 18 2006 If the previous three didn t scare you off this one s great Houston Chronicle Archived from the original on April 22 2010 Shaq raps on New York stage takes shots at Kobe ESPN June 24 2008 Archived from the original on January 4 2010 a b c Bryant asks for trade then backtracks slightly ESPN com July 31 2007 Retrieved July 19 2010 as a Lakers insider notes it was Bryant s insistence on getting away from Shaquille O Neal that got them in this mess May Peter March 27 2008 O Neal casts his MVP vote and it s a big no Boston Globe Retrieved October 31 2011 Shaquille O Neal Shaq s rap Kobe Tell me how my ass tastes YouTube Archived from the original on December 21 2021 Abrams Jonathan June 24 2008 Kobe gets rapped by Shaq Los Angeles Times Retrieved July 19 2010 Here s another snippet of what he said Sunday in which he suggests Bryant s comments were a factor in O Neal s separating from his wife Shaunie Abrams Jonathan June 29 2008 Bryant won t discuss O Neal Los Angeles Times Retrieved July 28 2010 I didn t take it any kind of way whatsoever Bryant said Saturday before declining to take any more questions on the topic Shaq takes a freestyle swipe at Kobe ESPN Associated Press June 23 2008 Retrieved July 28 2010 I was freestyling That s all It was all done in fun Nothing serious whatsoever O Neal told ESPN com Monday That is what MC s do They freestyle when called upon I m totally cool with Kobe No issue at all Reid Shaheem June 24 2008 Snoop Dogg Nas Cory Gunz See Nothing Wrong With Shaquille O Neal s Anti Kobe Freestyle MTV com Retrieved July 28 2010 Both of them is rappers they tried rapping before They know ain t no rules when it comes to rapping Shaq has all access and the right to do and say what he wants to say in fun in the spirit of rap Adande J A November 21 2008 Shaq and Kobe All Grown Up ESPN com Retrieved July 28 2010 Jackson was in the midst of answering a stream of Shaq related questions in his pregame media session when O Neal himself emerged from the Suns practice court stepped through the reporters and gave Jackson a hug and a kiss on the cheek Shaq I always did love Kobe ESPN com January 31 2009 Retrieved July 28 2010 Shaquille O Neal the newly minted All Star for the Western Conference has claimed Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson as new allies saying the longtime rivalry between himself and the Lakers forward was simply a marketing gimmick Garcia Art February 16 2009 Shaq Kobe lead freestyling West All Stars past East NBA com Turner Sports Interactive Inc Archived from the original on March 18 2009 Retrieved June 15 2009 O Neal MacMullan 2011 p 232 Helin Kurt April 2 2013 Kobe Bryant likes to remind Shaq who has more rings NBCSports com Archived from the original on June 6 2013 Adelson Andrea November 3 2009 Shaq tweets i want kobe bryant to get number 4 orlandosentinel com Archived from the original on June 6 2009 Retrieved July 28 2010 THE REAL SHAQ thats right i am saying it today and today only i want kobe bryant to get number 4 spread da word Heisler Mark June 18 2010 Kobe Bryant comes clean about the pressure Los Angeles Times Retrieved July 17 2010 Shaquille O Neal Status 16451373959 Congratulations Kobe Twitter June 17 2010 Samir Mehdi February 3 2022 I tore my house up after you won your 5th ring Shaq admitted to going on a rampage after Kobe Bryant got one more championship than him in 2010 The SportsRush Retrieved April 4 2022 Washburn Gary September 19 2010 Grousbeck s faith goes right down to the core The Boston Globe Retrieved October 14 2010 The minute I heard Kobe Bryant say he had one more ring than Shaq I said to Danny Let s go get Shaq and it happened said Grousbeck Simmons Bill August 20 2010 A few theories to chew on ESPN com Retrieved August 24 2010 My theory I think Kobe s postgame routine got back to Shaq I think it pissed him off I think it got his competitive juices flowing for the first time in years I think he realized Boston was his best chance to tie Kobe at five MacMullan Jackie September 27 2010 Shaq ready to leave mark in Boston ESPN com Retrieved October 14 2010 But I don t compete with little guards I don t compete with little guys who run around dominating the ball throwing up 30 shots a night like D Wade Kobe Celtics win Finals rematch despite Kobe Bryant s 41 points ESPN Los Angeles Associated Press January 31 2011 Archived from the original on July 13 2023 Retrieved May 3 2024 Shaquille O Neal announces retirement ESPN June 1 2011 Retrieved June 1 2011 Olivarez Giles Nathan June 1 2011 Shaq announces NBA retirement on Twitter using Tout iPhone app Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on June 3 2011 Reynolds Tim June 3 2011 Shaq moving on to the next chapter retirement Yahoo Sports Retrieved June 3 2011 permanent dead link a b Adande J A June 3 2011 Shaquille always did things his own way ESPN Retrieved June 4 2011 Shaquille O Neal joins Turner Sports ESPN July 14 2011 Retrieved July 18 2011 Cherner Reid September 30 2011 Report Kobe close to Italy deal takes Shaq feud international USA Today Archived from the original on October 2 2011 Brescia Joe October 18 2011 Q and A With Shaquille O Neal The New York Times Archived from the original on April 25 2012 Lou Williams led 76ers spoil Kobe Bryant s milestone night ESPN February 6 2012 Retrieved February 7 2012 Kamenetzky Andrew February 7 2012 Kobe Bryant dishes on Shaquille O Neal ESPN Retrieved February 7 2012 McMenamin Dave February 13 2013 Kobe Bryant Things better with Shaq ESPN Archived from the original on February 15 2013 Spears Marc J April 1 2013 As the Lakers prepare to retire Shaq s jersey Kobe now appreciates his former foe yahoo com Archived from the original on May 18 2013 a b Rohlin Melissa April 3 2013 Shaquille O Neal says he never had real dislike for Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on June 9 2013 a b Plaschke Bill April 2 2013 If only Shaq Kobe said it in public Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on June 4 2013 Holmes Baxter April 11 2016 The last true days of Kobe Bryant ESPN Retrieved May 5 2017 Schwartz Nick August 31 2015 Listen to Shaquille O Neal s revealing podcast with Kobe Bryant USA Today Retrieved May 5 2017 Bieler Des March 24 2016 Shaquille O Neal requests 50 points from Kobe Bryant in his final game The Washington Post Retrieved April 21 2020 Acosta Delacruz Angelo April 13 2016 Kobe finishes his two decade long career in a fashionable way as Lakers eliminate Jazz 101 96 powcast net Powcast Sports Hub Kobe Bryant s final game A flurry of jump shots and glory ESPN April 14 2016 Shaquille O Neal says Kobe Bryant is the best Laker ever AOL Shaquille O Neal It means a lot Kobe Bryant spoke at his statue unveiling March 24 2017 Shaq s Statue Unveiled Outside Of Staples Center Includes Shaq s Speech YouTube Archived from the original on December 21 2021 Shaquille O Neal apologizes to Kobe Bryant for feud during Lakers years The Washington Post The Washington Post Kobe Bryant Tells How Fist Fight Gained Shaq s Respect Hypebeast company August 29 2019 Retrieved October 20 2023 Sorry folks Shaq and Kobe aren t feuding again Los Angeles Times August 28 2019 Retrieved October 19 2023 Rollins Khadrice August 28 2019 Kobe and Shaq will quarrel until the end of time Sports Illustrated Retrieved October 19 2023 Kobe Bryant daughter Gianna die in helicopter crash January 26 2020 SHAQ January 26 2020 There s no words to express the pain Tweet via Twitter Turner Broderick January 28 2020 A tearful Shaquille O Neal on Kobe Bryant s death I ve lost a little brother L A Times Retrieved November 11 2023 Hall Erik February 24 2020 Shaq speech on Kobe Bryant 3 things Shaquille O Neal said at Kobe Bryant s memorial USA Today Retrieved March 6 2020 Wong Kristen February 8 2024 Kobe Bryant Video Tribute Narrated by Shaq Is Best Thing You ll See Today Sports Illustrated Bibliography edit Lazenby Roland 2006 The Show The Inside Story of the Spectacular Los Angeles Lakers in the Words of Those Who Lived It New York City McGraw Hill Professional ISBN 978 0 07 143034 0 Retrieved April 18 2011 External links editKobe Bryant vs Shaquille O Neal Comparison at LandOfBasketball com Head to Head Games Played Between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O Neal at LandOfBasketball com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shaq Kobe feud amp oldid 1221983301, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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