Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant didn’t like each other in the beginning. First of all, their personalities were opposite–Shaq was more into his teammates, friendlier, and known for his good-humored personality, while Kobe was more of an introvert, business-like and ambitious, described as arrogant and selfish by some teammates. And second, because they were both alpha players on the court and, as the story goes, two roosters don’t share one coop.
Although Shaq and Kobe managed to bring the Lakers three championships and four NBA Finals appearances between 1999 and 2004, their hostile relationship culminated in Shaq being traded to Miami Heat in 2004. That year, Kobe faced criminal charges and was in and out of the courtroom throughout the 2003-04 season. During one of the game evenings, Shaq commented, “The full team is here,” although his antagonist was at training camp in Hawaii. In the opposite ring, Kobe said that it would have been better for the team if Shaq stopped “coming to camp fat and out of shape.”
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant (L) talks to teammate Shaquille O’Neal (R) late in the 4th quarter during Game One of the NBA Western Conference first round play-off against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles 22 April 2001. (Photo Credit: Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images)
It was a sort of reality TV show for basketball fans, and although said as a joke, it was called “Lakers vs. Lakers” by David Stern, then-NBA commissioner. The verbal accusations continued. Kobe was in a quite unenviable position as he was also recovering from a knee injury and he had his court hearings for which he sometimes had flights to Colorado during the day and was back for the game in the evening. In the meantime, the charges against him were dropped, but Shaq still criticized him for playing while he was supposed to dedicate himself to a full recovery. Bryant answered that he knew how to play guard and that Shaq should have focused on playing in the post.
Shaquille O’Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers holds the MVP trophy and the Larry O’Brien Trophy for winning the NBA Championship 19 June, 2000, after game six of the NBA Finals at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo Credit: Vince Bucci / AFP via Getty Images)
When one wants to track their mutual hostility they will need to go back to 1996, when the 18-year-old Kobe Bryant was brought into the Lakers straight from high school. Although he joined the team later that same year, Shaq was six years older, a more experienced, free agent All-Star center who didn’t have time to wait for the young aspiring Kobe to grow up on the court.
President George W. Bush looks up to Shaquille O’Neal as the president meets with the World Champion LA Lakers NBA basketball team during an event in the East Room of the White House to honor the team 28 January, 2002 in Washington, DC. (Photo credit: TIM SLOAN / AFP via Getty Images)
Even though Kobe was a reserve on the team, the Lakers don’t waste their money on just any schoolboy. He was always pushed and encouraged to improve as a team player, so as soon as 1997 the team assigned him to play in the NBA Summer League. The next year he was voted as a starter in the All-Star Game. His career was moving too fast for Shaq, who was said to be envious of Kobe’s jersey sales. Then he started the rumor that Kobe was playing selfish basketball.
It turned into mocking Kobe’s turnovers during the All-Star Game introductions, while Shaq claimed this was just friendly teasing between the two. Despite the growing jealousy and hostility between the two players, the Lakers won the first of three consecutive NBA championships. During the season 2000-01, Shaq was out of shape, which gave Kobe a reason to mock him back. But in fact, Kobe was more worried about the progress of the team because his own progress depended on it.
Shaq’s and Kobe’s feud was marketing for the media. And while the two stars were actively followed as if they were the only players, nobody really cared what their hostility and the media’s attention to it did to the rest of the team. In fact, there is much analysis of what happened and how it happened, but the truth is whether it was just marketing or not, both players cared only for themselves and their careers, and both wanted to be number one in the sport.
This part of the story ended in 2004 when Shaq was traded to the Heat while Kobe signed a seven-year, $136 million contract with the Lakers to be the face of the franchise. They both went on to have successful careers, although many believe that they never scored as well as they did while they played together on the Lakers.
When Kobe Bryant and his young daughter Gigi passed away unexpectedly in 2023, Shaquille O’Neal was one of the key speakers at his former teammate’s memorial service.
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“But for now, I take comfort in the fact that as we speak, Kobe and Gigi are holding hands, walking to the nearest basketball court,” O’Neal said. “Kobe will show her some new Mamba moves today. And Gigi will soon master them. Kobe, you’re heaven’s MVP. I love you, my man. Till we meet again. Rest in peace, Kobe.”