Shaq-Kobe feud
Encyclopedia
The "Shaq–Kobe feud" is the rivalry between National Basketball Association
(NBA) players Shaquille O'Neal
and Kobe Bryant
, who played together on the Los Angeles Lakers
team from 1996 to 2004.
The two were able to win three consecutive NBA Championships (2000
, 2001
, 2002
) and make an NBA Finals appearance in 2004
. 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
would later write a book entitled The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul
, reflecting on the troubles Bryant and O'Neal had during their last season together.
, the Los Angeles Lakers signed free agent All-Star center
Shaquille O'Neal
after freeing up salary by trading established center Vlade Divac
and parting with other veteran players. That same year, they acquired the draft rights to high school player Kobe Bryant
from the Charlotte Hornets
in the Divac trade. No NBA team had previously drafted a guard straight from high school. The two sparred in their first three seasons playing together from 1996–1999. 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." Bryant had extreme confidence in his ability, which was unusual for an 18-year-old. Some teammates interpreted Bryant's confidence as arrogance. 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 league. Lakers general manager Jerry West
criticized O'Neal's leadership for hazing
Bryant that season. While O'Neal's personality was good-humored, Bryant's demeanor was all-business and was interpreted by some teammates as selfishness. O'Neal began calling Bryant showboat because of his flashy offensive moves. 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
had designed the Laker offense around the rookie Bryant, who went on to shoot four air ball
s. Harris explained that Bryant's one-on-one skills made him the best choice. After the game, O'Neal put his arm around Bryant and told him there would be other opportunities. West said the team's shortcoming made O'Neal angry since he was going to be judged by the team's success.
Bryant was assigned by the Lakers to play in the 1997 NBA Summer League
to improve as a team player and learn where to send the ball when he drew double team
s. The following season, Bryant was voted as a starter in the 1998 All-Star Game
though he was a reserve on the Lakers. The Lakers struggled after the All-Star break, losing seven of their first 12 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 grow up. Harris thought the NBA and its television broadcaster, National Broadcasting Company (NBC), were overexposing Bryant and that he became more of a one-on-one player after the break. 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.
The team's lockout-shortened 50-game 1998–99 season included a brief stint as a player by Dennis Rodman
, the firing of head coach Harris, and the interim head coaching stint of former Laker player Kurt Rambis
. During the strike, O'Neal, Bryant, Derek Fisher
, and Corie Blount
played a two-on-two basketball game. Bryant was always a physical player during practice. Other players, though, disliked Bryant's approach to practice. 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. During the season, the team would blame 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." 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 in Orlando
. "That's far from the truth," said Fisher. "All Shaq wants to do is win." 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." O'Neal thought Rambis favored Bryant. Rambis asked O'Neal, the veteran team leader, to heal the rift and reach out to Bryant. Rambis said O'Neal gave him a "blank, cold stare." The rift between O'Neal and Bryant continued into the playoffs. While the Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets
in the first round of that year's NBA Playoffs
, they were ultimately swept 4–0 by the San Antonio Spurs
in the second round.
agreed to sign then six-time NBA champion Phil Jackson
to a high-priced contract to be the team's new head coach entering the 1999–2000 season. O'Neal and Bryant had both encouraged West to hire Jackson. Jackson decided that the offense would revolve around O'Neal, who would be given responsibility to distribute the ball. Jackson also wanted better leadership, physical conditioning, and defense from O'Neal. The coach chose to develop a close relationship with O'Neal and not Bryant. Jackson calculated that O'Neal's personality craved such a relationship. Bryant missed the season's first 15 games due to a broken right wrist, allowing the team to focus on O'Neal as Jackson had planned. The results of Jackson's hiring were stark, as the Lakers 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
. 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's and Bryant's on-court success together occurred. The Lakers had led 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, putting the Lakers on the brink of elimination. Portland led by 15 points early in the fourth quarter, 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. Bryant extended his hand to O'Neal for a high five
, but O'Neal in his celebration did not notice.
The Lakers won the game 89–84, and the 13 point comeback after three quarters was the most ever 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. 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. The Lakers went on to defeat the Indiana Pacers
in six games and won their first NBA championship since 1988. 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 won the championship. In the ensuing celebration, Bryant was the first person to embrace O'Neal.
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." 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. 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." Upon arriving to 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. 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. 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. O'Neal said it was an inside joke between Kobe and him. 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 that the relationship between the two players would be smoother on the court. The coaches would also tell 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.
said a key factor was the team's defense after losing Fisher for most of the season. O'Neal requested a trade after a blowout win against the Phoenix Suns
where Bryant scored 38 and O'Neal scored 18. Jackson commented that their actions were "juvenile" and they should appreciate each other and play as a team. Bryant would be criticized for forcing his offense and not involving his teammates enough. Even O'Neal's stepfather was overheard yelling at Bryant to pass the ball during a game. 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." According to Bryant, the team's defense was the issue and not his increased role in the offense. 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." Due to O'Neal's sensitivity toward criticism, Jackson overlooked O'Neal's shortcomings while maintaining his criticism of Bryant. 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."
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." 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. Bryant would play unselfishly in the playoffs. 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. The Lakers won the championship after a record-setting 15 wins and only one loss. 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. 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 and eight blocks.
, 4–0. It was the Lakers' first championship sweep in their history, and O'Neal won his third consecutive NBA Finals MVP.
began. He said, "I got hurt on company time, so I’ll rehab on company time." 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 had ordered Bryant to be more aggressive. 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.
The subsequent off-season included accusations and then charges of rape by Bryant
in Colorado
. 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. After the signings, the Lakers were widely considered a favorite to win another NBA title. However, even with these additions, the Lakers would not be able to avoid controversy.
Just prior to the start of the 2003–04 season, Bryant privately warned Jackson, "If (O'Neal) starts saying (unreasonable) things in the press, I'll fire back ... I've had it." There had been no public indications of animosity between the two since the 2000–2001 season. 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.
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. O'Neal responded, ""Just ask Karl and Gary why they came here. One person. Not two. One. Period." 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 would be a free agent at the season's end, didn't like what O'Neal had to say, Bryant should just opt out since O'Neal said "I ain't going nowhere." Jackson told the team to not discuss the issue further with reporters.
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. Jackson fined Bryant an undisclosed amount for defying his orders to not talk to the press. O'Neal would reveal 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. 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."
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. 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 had hoped O'Neal would take less money due to his age, physical conditioning, and games missed due to injuries. During a preseason game, O'Neal had yelled at Lakers owner Jerry Buss
, "Pay me." The Los Angeles Times
wrote that both of the Lakers moves were a concession to Bryant. The Lakers slid towards mediocrity during the spring. Injuries hampered Los Angeles, keeping them as the fourth seed in the Western Conference midway through 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]." 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.
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, courtesy of a pair of buzzer beaters from Bryant. 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
. However, after five games, the Lakers found themselves not only defeated but dominated by the Pistons, who won the NBA title. 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."
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 either or both might not return to the Lakers the next season. With regard to the issue of people possibly leaving the team, O'Neal commented that he understood that everyone would need to do what was best for themselves, then adding "including me".
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. However, Winter said Jackson announced at the All-Star break that he would not want to return to the Lakers if Bryant returned. Buss also longed for the Lakers to return to the fast break offense of Showtime. After learning of Jackson's departure, O'Neal demanded to be traded. 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." 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.
Later, news came out that Bryant had referred to O'Neal while being questioned by police in 2003. According to reports, Bryant stated that he should have paid off his women so that they wouldn't say anything, like O'Neal. Bryant also stated that O'Neal would pay women up to US$1 million to stay quiet about their rendezvous. 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 had been unfaithful to her.
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 would hold 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
.
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." 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.
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 hand and have eye contact with each other before and after the game. O'Neal said, "It was just another game to me." Bryant said "I wasn't even thinking about it. It is what it is."
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?"
. After Bryant scored 81 points in a single game against the Toronto Raptors
, O'Neal refused to comment to the media about it. 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 had watched Bryant's 81-point game and offered praise for the performance. During the All-Star Game itself, the two were seen laughing and joking together.
From 2004–2006, the Heat and the Lakers met on Christmas Day to emphasize the Shaq-Kobe battle. This tradition ended in 2007, as the Lakers faced the Suns, and the Heat took on the Cavaliers. However, on February 20, 2008, O'Neal was traded from the Heat to the Suns.
In 2007, O'Neal said that Bryant should have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award
, which was awarded to Dirk Nowitzki
. During the offseason, Bryant was "beyond furious" at reports from a Laker insider that Bryant had insisted O'Neal be traded from the Lakers. 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." 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."
In 2008
, O'Neal reiterated his belief that Bryant deserved the MVP award. 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 was quoted saying "Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes". During the rap, O'Neal also blamed his divorce on Bryant's comments to investigators in 2004 about O'Neal paying off women. Bryant commented that he "didn't take (O'Neal's rap) any kind of way whatsoever." 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." 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."
In November of the 2008–2009 season, O'Neal told reporters that he believed the entire feud has been the fault of the Lakers head coach Phil Jackson. 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. 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, him 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. 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. Bryant and the Lakers would go to face the Orlando Magic
in the 2009 NBA Finals
. 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].
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 ... you can take that to the bank." Bryant had won five NBA titles, and O'Neal had won four. Bryant added, "You guys know how I am. I don't forget anything." 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]."
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." O'Neal signed a two-year contract with the Celtics for the 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 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." 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."
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. 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 use to do that 6–7 hours per day. I cannot stand players who practice for 30 minutes." O'Neal countered that he did not need to work out, and that "My three finals M.V.P.’s speaks for itself."
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) players Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
and Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
, who played together on the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
team from 1996 to 2004.
The two were able to win three consecutive NBA Championships (2000
2000 NBA Finals
The 2000 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1999-2000 National Basketball Association season. The Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference took on the Indiana Pacers of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Lakers holding home court advantage...
, 2001
2001 NBA Finals
The 2001 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2000-01 National Basketball Association season. The Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference took on the Philadelphia 76ers of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Lakers holding home court advantage in a best-of-seven format.The...
, 2002
2002 NBA Finals
The 2002 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association championship series for the 2001–02 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and two-time defending NBA champions, and the New Jersey Nets, champions of the...
) and make an NBA Finals appearance in 2004
2004 NBA Finals
The 2004 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2003–04 National Basketball Association season. The Finals were between the Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference and the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference; the Lakers held home court advantage...
. Personal differences and arguments over their respective roles on the Lakers were followed by a trade that sent O'Neal to the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
while Bryant was re-signed as a free agent by the Lakers. Lakers head coach Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
would later write a book entitled The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul
The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul
The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul is a book published by American basketball coach Phil Jackson; it deals with the ups and downs of the Los Angeles Lakers' 2003-04 season...
, reflecting on the troubles Bryant and O'Neal had during their last season together.
Origins: 1996–1999
In 19961996 in sports
1996 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Lasse Kjus, Norway** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany-American football:...
, the Los Angeles Lakers signed free agent All-Star center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
after freeing up salary by trading established center Vlade Divac
Vlade Divac
Vlade Divac is a retired Yugoslav and Serbian professional basketball player who spent most of his career in the NBA. At , he played center and was known for his passing skills...
and parting with other veteran players. That same year, they acquired the draft rights to high school player Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
from the Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte Hornets (NBA)
The Charlotte Hornets was a professional American basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They played in the Atlantic, Midwest, and Central divisions of the National Basketball Association. The Hornets began play during the 1988–89 NBA season as an expansion franchise, along with the...
in the Divac trade. No NBA team had previously drafted a guard straight from high school. The two sparred in their first three seasons playing together from 1996–1999. 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." Bryant had extreme confidence in his ability, which was unusual for an 18-year-old. Some teammates interpreted Bryant's confidence as arrogance. 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 league. Lakers general manager Jerry West
Jerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
criticized O'Neal's leadership for hazing
Hazing
Hazing is a term used to describe various ritual and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group....
Bryant that season. While O'Neal's personality was good-humored, Bryant's demeanor was all-business and was interpreted by some teammates as selfishness. O'Neal began calling Bryant showboat because of his flashy offensive moves. In an overtime playoff loss to the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
that eliminated the Lakers, O'Neal fouled out with two minutes remaining in regulation. Lakers coach Del Harris
Del Harris
Delmer William Harris is a basketball coach, currently the head coach for the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League. He was an assistant coach for the NBA's New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Dallas Mavericks...
had designed the Laker offense around the rookie Bryant, who went on to shoot four air ball
Air ball
In basketball, an air ball is a shot that misses both the rim and the backboard.The usage may have an ironic subtext to it; "air" is generally used positively in basketball, often relating to jumping ability. The "air ball", on the other hand, is widely perceived as the opposite: a signifier of an...
s. Harris explained that Bryant's one-on-one skills made him the best choice. After the game, O'Neal put his arm around Bryant and told him there would be other opportunities. West said the team's shortcoming made O'Neal angry since he was going to be judged by the team's success.
Bryant was assigned by the Lakers to play in the 1997 NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...
to improve as a team player and learn where to send the ball when he drew double team
Double team
In basketball, a double team is a defensive alignment in which two defensive players are assigned to guard a single offensive player....
s. The following season, Bryant was voted as a starter in the 1998 All-Star Game
1998 NBA All-Star Game
The 1998 NBA All-Star Game was the 48th edition of the North American National Basketball Association All-Star Game. The event was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The East won the game 135–114. This game was the debut of Kobe Bryant as the youngest all-star in NBA history at 19...
though he was a reserve on the Lakers. The Lakers struggled after the All-Star break, losing seven of their first 12 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 grow up. Harris thought the NBA and its television broadcaster, National Broadcasting Company (NBC), were overexposing Bryant and that he became more of a one-on-one player after the break. Bryant's playing time became reduced. The Lakers were eliminated in the 1998 playoffs
1998 NBA Playoffs
The 1998 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997-98 NBA season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their sixth championship of the decade by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz four...
in the conference finals after they were swept by the Jazz, 4–0.
The team's lockout-shortened 50-game 1998–99 season included a brief stint as a player by Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
, the firing of head coach Harris, and the interim head coaching stint of former Laker player Kurt Rambis
Kurt Rambis
Darrell Kurt Rambis is a retired American professional basketball player and former head coach for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.-Biography:...
. During the strike, O'Neal, Bryant, Derek Fisher
Derek Fisher
Derek Lamar Fisher is an American professional basketball point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His NBA career has spanned more than 14 years, during which he has won five NBA Championships...
, and Corie Blount
Corie Blount
Corie Kasoun Blount is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'9" power forward/center, Blount starred at the University of Cincinnati during the early 1990s, where he helped his team reach the Final Four in 1992 and the Elite Eight in 1993...
played a two-on-two basketball game. Bryant was always a physical player during practice. Other players, though, disliked Bryant's approach to practice. 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. During the season, the team would blame 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." Bryant's jerseys were outselling O'Neal's in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
sporting goods stores, and rumors started that O'Neal was jealous, as he was with Penny Hardaway
Penny Hardaway
Anfernee Deon "Penny" Hardaway is a former American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association , specializing as a small forward, shooting guard, and point guard. His most productive years came in his days as a member of the Orlando Magic as well as the early...
when they played together in Orlando
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
. "That's far from the truth," said Fisher. "All Shaq wants to do is win." 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." O'Neal thought Rambis favored Bryant. Rambis asked O'Neal, the veteran team leader, to heal the rift and reach out to Bryant. Rambis said O'Neal gave him a "blank, cold stare." The rift between O'Neal and Bryant continued into the playoffs. While the Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
in the first round of that year's NBA Playoffs
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
, they were ultimately swept 4–0 by the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the second round.
1999–2000
During the 1999 offseason, West and Lakers owner Jerry BussJerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
agreed to sign then six-time NBA champion Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
to a high-priced contract to be the team's new head coach entering the 1999–2000 season. O'Neal and Bryant had both encouraged West to hire Jackson. Jackson decided that the offense would revolve around O'Neal, who would be given responsibility to distribute the ball. Jackson also wanted better leadership, physical conditioning, and defense from O'Neal. The coach chose to develop a close relationship with O'Neal and not Bryant. Jackson calculated that O'Neal's personality craved such a relationship. Bryant missed the season's first 15 games due to a broken right wrist, allowing the team to focus on O'Neal as Jackson had planned. The results of Jackson's hiring were stark, as the Lakers 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
NBA Most Valuable Player Award
The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1955–56 NBA season. The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement...
. During the playoffs, the Lakers fought off the eighth-seeded Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in five games, and then defeated the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in the second round, four games to one.
It was in the 2000 Western Conference Finals that a defining moment of O'Neal's and Bryant's on-court success together occurred. The Lakers had led the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
three games to one, before dropping Game 5 at home and Game 6 in Portland. The Blazers were leading the decisive Game 7, putting the Lakers on the brink of elimination. Portland led by 15 points early in the fourth quarter, 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
Slam dunk
A slam dunk is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim. This is considered a normal field goal attempt; if successful it is worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was...
after which O'Neal ran upcourt with his mouth agape and both index fingers waving. Bryant extended his hand to O'Neal for a high five
High five
The high five is a celebratory hand gesture that occurs when two people simultaneously raise one hand, about head high, and push, slide or slap the flat of their palm and hand against the palm and flat hand of their partner...
, but O'Neal in his celebration did not notice.
The Lakers won the game 89–84, and the 13 point comeback after three quarters was the most ever 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. The two players complimented each other on the alley-oop play after the game, and assistant coach Tex Winter
Tex Winter
Morice Fredrick "Tex" Winter is a Hall-of-Fame American basketball coach, and innovator of the triangle offense.-Early life:...
thought they came to respect each other. The Lakers went on to defeat the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in six games and won their first NBA championship since 1988. 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 won the championship. In the ensuing celebration, Bryant was the first person to embrace O'Neal.
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." O'Neal felt pressure to be leader of the team and was upset with Bryant's shot selection. Teammate Ron Harper
Ron Harper
Ronald "Ron" Harper is a retired American professional basketball player whose career spanned from 1986 to 2001 with four teams in the NBA. At 6 ft 6 in , his position was shooting guard/point guard.- Collegiate career :...
helped mediate the differences between O'Neal and Bryant. 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." Upon arriving to 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. 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. During that season's All-Star Game
2000 NBA All-Star Game
The 2000 NBA All-Star Game, held in Oakland, California, was the 49th edition of the North American National Basketball Association All-Star Game. The Western Conference won the game with the score of 137-126 while Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan were both named MVP of the game...
, Bryant did not participate in the slam dunk contest and a matchup against Vince Carter
Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward....
, 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
Crossover dribble
A crossover dribble is a basketball maneuver in which a player dribbling the ball switches the ball rapidly from one hand to the other, to make a change in direction. In a typical example the player heads upcourt, dribbling the ball in the left hand, then makes a wide step left with a good head fake...
but threw the ball into the stands to accentuate Bryant's turnovers. O'Neal said it was an inside joke between Kobe and him. Jackson and Winter relied on the triangle offense
Triangle offense
The Triangle Offense, also known as the triple-post offense, is an offensive strategy in basketball. Its basic ideas were initially established by Hall of Fame coach Sam Barry at the University of Southern California. His system was later refined by former Kansas State University head basketball...
to heal the relationship between O'Neal and Bryant. The coaches believed that the offense was so structured that the relationship between the two players would be smoother on the court. The coaches would also tell 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.
2000–2001
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. 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." 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." Lakers assistant coach Bill BertkaBill Bertka
Bill Bertka is an American former National Basketball Association assistant coach and a former NBA executive with the New Orleans Jazz. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers under Bill Sharman, Pat Riley and Phil Jackson among others...
said a key factor was the team's defense after losing Fisher for most of the season. O'Neal requested a trade after a blowout win against the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
where Bryant scored 38 and O'Neal scored 18. Jackson commented that their actions were "juvenile" and they should appreciate each other and play as a team. Bryant would be criticized for forcing his offense and not involving his teammates enough. Even O'Neal's stepfather was overheard yelling at Bryant to pass the ball during a game. 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." According to Bryant, the team's defense was the issue and not his increased role in the offense. 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." Due to O'Neal's sensitivity toward criticism, Jackson overlooked O'Neal's shortcomings while maintaining his criticism of Bryant. West told O'Neal that he also had personal rivalries when he played with all-time greats Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
and Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor
Elgin Gay Baylor is a retired Hall of Fame American basketball player and former NBA general manager who played 13 seasons as a forward for the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers....
, but O'Neal needed to "stop being a baby ... put the team's success first."
Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
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." 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. Bryant would play unselfishly in the playoffs. 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. The Lakers won the championship after a record-setting 15 wins and only one loss. After the lone loss, which was in the opening game of the NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
, Jackson criticized O'Neal for his lack of defense. Before the following game, Lakers coach Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
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 and eight blocks.
2001–2002
O'Neal missed training camp due to toe surgery, while Jackson 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. The Lakers won their third consecutive championship, defeating the New Jersey NetsNew Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, 4–0. It was the Lakers' first championship sweep in their history, and O'Neal won his third consecutive NBA Finals MVP.
Final years as teammates
The 2002–03 NBA season began with the three-time defending champions getting off to one of their worst starts ever. The team was several games under .500 at 11–19 with their return to the playoffs questionable. Shaquille O'Neal was sidelined with a toe injury. 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 campTraining camp
A training camp is a place, usually with an army-camp-type environment, where people go to learn skills, usually skills involving physical action rather than book subjects, usually for an armed force or an action sport...
began. He said, "I got hurt on company time, so I’ll rehab on company time." 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 had ordered Bryant to be more aggressive. 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
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
in six games, but were eliminated by eventual champion San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the conference semifinals.
The subsequent off-season included accusations and then charges of rape by Bryant
Kobe Bryant sexual assault case
The Kobe Bryant sexual assault case began in the summer of 2003 when the news media reported that the sheriff's office in Eagle, Colorado had arrested NBA superstar Kobe Bryant in connection with an investigation of a sexual assault complaint filed by a 19-year-old hotel employee...
in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. 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
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
and Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
, who were recruited by O'Neal. After the signings, the Lakers were widely considered a favorite to win another NBA title. However, even with these additions, the Lakers would not be able to avoid controversy.
Just prior to the start of the 2003–04 season, Bryant privately warned Jackson, "If (O'Neal) starts saying (unreasonable) things in the press, I'll fire back ... I've had it." There had been no public indications of animosity between the two since the 2000–2001 season. 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
Derek Fisher
Derek Lamar Fisher is an American professional basketball point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His NBA career has spanned more than 14 years, during which he has won five NBA Championships...
], Karl and Gary." Bryant was again ignored by O'Neal.
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. O'Neal responded, ""Just ask Karl and Gary why they came here. One person. Not two. One. Period." 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 would be a free agent at the season's end, didn't like what O'Neal had to say, Bryant should just opt out since O'Neal said "I ain't going nowhere." Jackson told the team to not discuss the issue further with reporters.
In a subsequent interview with Jim Gray
Jim Gray (sportscaster)
Jim Gray is an American sportscaster. He has previously worked as a reporter with NBC Sports and CBS Sports. He is currently with Westwood One radio network, Showtime, Golf Channel, the Sacramento Kings, and ESPN/ESPN on ABC...
of ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, 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. Jackson fined Bryant an undisclosed amount for defying his orders to not talk to the press. O'Neal would reveal 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. On opening night of the season, an injured Bryant sat down next to O'Neal during the Lakers' victory over the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
. "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."
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. 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 had hoped O'Neal would take less money due to his age, physical conditioning, and games missed due to injuries. During a preseason game, O'Neal had yelled at Lakers owner Jerry Buss
Jerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
, "Pay me." The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
wrote that both of the Lakers moves were a concession to Bryant. The Lakers slid towards mediocrity during the spring. Injuries hampered Los Angeles, keeping them as the fourth seed in the Western Conference midway through 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]." 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.
The Lakers ultimately entered the playoffs as the second seed, thanks to an overtime victory versus the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
on the final night of the season, courtesy of a pair of buzzer beaters from Bryant. They defeated the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
, the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, and the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
before advancing to the 2004 NBA Finals
2004 NBA Finals
The 2004 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2003–04 National Basketball Association season. The Finals were between the Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference and the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference; the Lakers held home court advantage...
, where they were considered a favorite to defeat the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. However, after five games, the Lakers found themselves not only defeated but dominated by the Pistons, who won the NBA title. 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."
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 either or both might not return to the Lakers the next season. With regard to the issue of people possibly leaving the team, O'Neal commented that he understood that everyone would need to do what was best for themselves, then adding "including me".
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. However, Winter said Jackson announced at the All-Star break that he would not want to return to the Lakers if Bryant returned. Buss also longed for the Lakers to return to the fast break offense of Showtime. After learning of Jackson's departure, O'Neal demanded to be traded. 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." Bryant, meanwhile, was involved in discussions with the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. O'Neal's demand was soon indulged, as he was sent to the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
for Lamar Odom
Lamar Odom
Lamar Joseph Odom is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.-Early life:...
, Caron Butler
Caron Butler
James Caron Butler, widely known as Caron Butler , is an American professional basketball player who most recently played at small forward for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.-Early life:...
, Brian Grant
Brian Grant
Brian Wade Grant is a retired American basketball player. He played the power forward and center positions for five teams during 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He was known for his tenacious rebounding and blue-collar defense...
and a first-round draft pick.
No longer teammates
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. 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."Later, news came out that Bryant had referred to O'Neal while being questioned by police in 2003. According to reports, Bryant stated that he should have paid off his women so that they wouldn't say anything, like O'Neal. Bryant also stated that O'Neal would pay women up to US$1 million to stay quiet about their rendezvous. 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 had been unfaithful to her.
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
National Basketball Association Nielsen ratings
The National Basketball Association achieved a rapid rise and fall in television ratings from the 1997–1998 NBA season, when ratings for the NBA Finals achieved a record high, to the 2002–2003 NBA season, when ratings for the same event hit an all-time record low. Blame for this rise and fall has...
since 1998 and would hold 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
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
" and himself as a "brick wall" in an interview with ABC's
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
Al Michaels
Al Michaels
Alan Richard "Al" Michaels is an American television sportscaster. Now employed by NBC Sports after nearly three decades with ABC Sports, Michaels is one of the most prominent members of his profession...
during halftime of Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
.
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
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
. 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." 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.
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 hand and have eye contact with each other before and after the game. O'Neal said, "It was just another game to me." Bryant said "I wasn't even thinking about it. It is what it is."
O'Neal indirectly referenced the feud in his cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
in the 2006 movie Scary Movie 4
Scary Movie 4
Scary Movie 4 is the fourth film of the Scary Movie franchise, directed by David Zucker, written by Jim Abrahams, Craig Mazin and Pat Proft, and produced by Craig Mazin and Robert K. Weiss. It is distributed by The Weinstein Company via its Dimension Films unit in the U.S. and Television, and...
. O'Neal is kidnapped in the movie in a Saw parody, and he hears a frightening voice. A terrified O'Neal then asks, "Kobe?"
Later years
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. O'Neal said he was spurred to make up with Bryant by NBA legend Bill RussellBill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
. After Bryant scored 81 points in a single game against the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
, O'Neal refused to comment to the media about it. O'Neal broke his silence a few weeks later during a media session at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game
2006 NBA All-Star Game
The 2006 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 19, 2006 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, home of the Houston Rockets. The game was the 55th annual All-Star game...
, when he acknowledged that he had watched Bryant's 81-point game and offered praise for the performance. During the All-Star Game itself, the two were seen laughing and joking together.
From 2004–2006, the Heat and the Lakers met on Christmas Day to emphasize the Shaq-Kobe battle. This tradition ended in 2007, as the Lakers faced the Suns, and the Heat took on the Cavaliers. However, on February 20, 2008, O'Neal was traded from the Heat to the Suns.
In 2007, O'Neal said that Bryant should have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award
NBA Most Valuable Player Award
The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1955–56 NBA season. The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement...
, which was awarded to Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
. During the offseason, Bryant was "beyond furious" at reports from a Laker insider that Bryant had insisted O'Neal be traded from the Lakers. 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." 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."
In 2008
2007-08 NBA season
The 2007–08 NBA season was the 62nd season of the National Basketball Association. The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, and ended on Wednesday, April 16, 2008...
, O'Neal reiterated his belief that Bryant deserved the MVP award. 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
2008 NBA Finals
The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
to the Boston Celtics. He also was quoted saying "Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes". During the rap, O'Neal also blamed his divorce on Bryant's comments to investigators in 2004 about O'Neal paying off women. Bryant commented that he "didn't take (O'Neal's rap) any kind of way whatsoever." O'Neal later said he was freestyling
Freestyle rap
Freestyle rap commonly refers to rap lyrics which are improvised through a acapella or with instrumental beats, i.e. performed with no previously composed lyrics, or "off the top of the head"...
and that "it was all done in fun. Nothing serious whatsoever ... I'm totally cool with Kobe. No issue at all." Rap artist Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, 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."
In November of the 2008–2009 season, O'Neal told reporters that he believed the entire feud has been the fault of the Lakers head coach Phil Jackson. 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. On January 29, 2009, in an interview with Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith
-Early years:Smith was raised in the Hollis neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. He lived with his parents and four older sisters.He attended Winston-Salem State University, a historically black university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina...
, 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, him 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. At the 2009 NBA All-Star Game
2009 NBA All-Star Game
The 2009 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game played on February 15, 2009 at US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona, home of the Phoenix Suns. The game was the 58th edition of the National Basketball Association All-Star Game and was played during the 2008–09 NBA season...
, 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. Bryant and the Lakers would go to face the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
in the 2009 NBA Finals
2009 NBA Finals
The 2009 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association championship series for the 2008-09 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and defending Western Conference champions, and the Orlando Magic, champions of the...
. 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].
After the Lakers once again won the title in Game 7 of the 2010 Finals
2010 NBA Finals
The 2010 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association championship series for the 2009–10 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and defending NBA champions, and the Boston Celtics, champions of the Eastern Conference...
, Bryant was asked what it meant to him personally. He responded, "Just one more than Shaq ... you can take that to the bank." Bryant had won five NBA titles, and O'Neal had won four. Bryant added, "You guys know how I am. I don't forget anything." O'Neal again congratulated Bryant on his Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
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]."
Upon hearing Bryant's comment about having more titles than O'Neal, Wyc Grousbeck
Wycliffe Grousbeck
Wycliffe "Wyc" Grousbeck is CEO, governor, and co-owner of the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics.After spending seven years as a partner at a venture capital firm, Highland Capital Partners, Grousbeck founded the group Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C...
, principal owner of the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, said to Danny Ainge
Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics....
, Celtics' president, "Let’s go get Shaq." O'Neal signed a two-year contract with the Celtics for the 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 season for the league minimum of $1.3 million and adding to the Celtics–Lakers rivalry. Bill Simmons
Bill Simmons
William J. "Bill" Simmons III is a sports columnist, author, and podcaster. He currently writes columns and hosts podcasts for Grantland.com, which is affiliated with ESPN.com. He is a former writer for ESPN The Magazine and Jimmy Kimmel Live!...
of ESPN speculated that O'Neal wanted to tie Bryant with five titles and that still "Shaq hates Kobe and Kobe hates Shaq." 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
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
: "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."
O'Neal retires
O'Neal announced his retirement via social media on June 1, 2011. Two days later, O'Neal held a press conference at his home in Orlando to officially announce his retirement. 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. 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]."After his retirement, O'Neal was hired by Turner Sports
Turner Sports
Turner Sports is the division of Turner Broadcasting System responsible for sports broadcasts on Turner channels including TBS, TNT, and TruTV, and for operating the interactive properties , , , and...
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. During the 2011 NBA lockout
2011 NBA lockout
The 2011 NBA lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . The owners began the work stoppage at 12:01 am EDT on July 1, 2011. The main issues dividing the owners and the players are revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap...
, Bryant discussed his problems with O'Neal with a radio station in Italy, saying "I like players who workout. I use to do that 6–7 hours per day. I cannot stand players who practice for 30 minutes." O'Neal countered that he did not need to work out, and that "My three finals M.V.P.’s speaks for itself."