For as long as anyone can remember, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal have always had their names associated with each other. They were arguably the greatest duo in the history of the NBA. However, after they parted ways in 2003, there has always been a narrative around Bryant’s ability to win without Shaq. So, when he did go on to win his fourth championship in 2009, there was a moment of redemption for the player. Here is an excerpt on the topic from the book – ‘Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success‘ by Phil Jackson’ :
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“For Kobe, this was a moment of redemption. He would no longer have to listen to all the sports pundits and fans telling him that he would never win another championship without Shaq. Chinese water torture is how he described their lack of faith in him.”
In the aforementioned book, Phil Jackson describes what it meant for the Black Mamba to win that elusive ring. He finally felt vindicated. The Hall of Fame coach talks about the jubilation in Kobe’s eyes and the joy he felt celebrating with his teammates on the center court. When the buzzer sounded off, the Hall of Fame coach knew his superstar had achieved something he had been waiting for, for seven long years. Here is what he wrote in his book:
“Kobe led the attack from the start, scoring 30 points as we took the lead in the second quarter and never looked back. When the buzzer sounded, Kobe leaped into the air and celebrated with his teammates in center court. Then he came over to the sidelines and hugged me.
I don’t remember exactly what we said to each other, but the look in his eyes touched me the most. This was our moment of triumph, a moment of total reconciliation that had been seven long years in coming. The look of pride and joy in Kobe’s eyes made all the pain we’d endured in our journey together worth it.”
For Kobe, who gave his heart and soul to the game, there was a sense of uneasiness with the media constantly doubting his ability to win without O’Neal. Some went as far as to dismiss the thought of Bryant even winning another ring. The player described it as being in a Chinese water torture. Shaq, on the other hand, had won a championship without Bryant playing for the Miami Heat. He certainly felt the pinch, and when it all came to fruition, the Los Angeles Lakers legend was left with tears in his eyes.
Kobe Bryant’s performance in the 2009 NBA Finals
Kobe Bryant was coming off an NBA Finals loss against the Boston Celtics in 2008, the first trip to the Finals after breaking up with Shaquille O’Neal. He was more determined than ever in the following season, and it took everything for the legend to climb the mountain. Despite clinching the top spot in the Western Conference, they were pushed to seven games in the Western Conference Semi-Finals series against the Houston Rockets. They beat a tough opponent in the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals in six games to advance to the Finals.
In the Finals, Kobe would face a young Dwight Howard-led Orlando Magic playing great basketball. He would average 32.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists over five games to lead his team to a 4-1 series victory. For his stellar performance, the player was awarded his first-ever NBA Finals MVP award. He set the tone from Game 1 by scoring 40 points and sending a message that he was not letting this opportunity slip for the second time.
