Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant Feud Explained

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In Sports, ego ruins a relationship. The Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant feud was never ending.

Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant remain the legends of the NBA. Both have had phenomenal success, but not many know their personal relationship during their time at Los Angeles Lakers. The Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant feud during the early 2000s remains one of the most shocking incidents of NBA history.

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal were the pillars of the Los Angeles Lakers. The duo completed three-peat in the NBA when they won the title between 2000-2002. But jealousy can spoil a good relationship and it is never an exception in the NBA. Even legends like Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant had a cold relationship, and their feud became a sensation.

Shaquille O’Neal and Bryant played for the Lakers between 1996-2004. Fans of Bryant and O’Neal wanted a fairytale ending, but the players had different ideas. The Los Angeles Lakers looked unstoppable with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal under Phil Jackson. In the 2000 Western Conference Finals, O’Neal didn’t respond to Kobe Bryant’s High-five. This was the starting point of the duo’s feud. It was Shaquille O’Neal who was envious of Kobe Bryant’s success. In a team meeting, O’Neal accused Bryant of being selfish.

Aftermath of the Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant Feud

Reports revealed Shaquille O’Neal never wanted Kobe Bryant to be a leader. When Kobe Bryant’s jersey sale created a record in Southern California and Shaquille O’Neal was again jealous as he couldn’t surpass his rival. The practice game incident is another shocking revelation as reports indicated O’Neal slapped Kobe Bryant during a meeting.

In 2004, Shaquille O’Neal moved to the Miami Heat and Kobe Bryant was retained by the Lakers. The retention confirmed it was Shaquille O’Neal who started everything and the main reason for the feud. Kobe Bryant also confirmed he did influence the management to release O’Neal. Bryant also confirmed he loved playing with Shaquille O’Neal.

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal didn’t meet, and they avoided each other. In 2006, Bryant greeted Shaquille O’Neal and hugged him. The duo played together in the 2009 All-star game and both won the MVP. Shaquille O’Neal asked Bryant to keep the MVP, but Bryant gave it to O’Neal’s son and won the hearts of fans. After Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crash, Shaquille O’Neal shared a post on Instagram and called Bryant his brother and friend.

FAQ

Where was Kobe Bryant born?

Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Which team did Kobe Bryant play?

Kobe Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers

Sundar

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