Basketball

Kobe Bryant Once Revealed His Distaste For His Own Peers Doubting His Capabilities Without Shaquille O’Neal

Nithin Joseph
|PublishedOct 23, 2022

Kobe Bryant Once Revealed His Distaste For His Own Peers Doubting His Capabilities Without Shaquille O'Neal

Stories continue to come out about Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Credits: USA Today Network

Kobe Bryant does not like being doubted by his peers. That is why he took winning a championship without Shaq as a challenge.

The Black Mamba is remembered fondly for several things. His legendary career, his business acumen, and of course his die-hard love for winning.

Kobe Bryant was so obsessed with winning that he focused on nothing but victory. So much so that fans and basketball enthusiasts alike dubbed his winning mindset the Mamba Mentality.

However, the question arises, why did Kobe get so obsessed with victory? It was simply because he didn’t like to be doubted. For example, when his peers said he wouldn’t win a ring without Shaquille O’Neal.

Also Read: “Food’s Not Gonna Make Itself, Oh Damn!”: When Kobe Bryant Shared His Experience of Living by Himself at 18

Kobe Bryant being doubted by his peers prompted him to challenge himself to win without Shaq

From 1996 to 2004, the LA Lakers were one of the most dominant teams in the NBA. The two-headed monster that was Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal were unstoppable, winning three NBA Championships together.

However, towards the end of their partnership, things became sour between the two. All because Kobe did not like being looked down upon, especially by his peers.

That’s right, perhaps the primary reason why the tandem of Shaq and Kobe broker up was because the Black Mamba did not like that his peers felt he could not win without Diesel.

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Kobe being who he is took that as a challenge, and the rest is history. O’Neal was traded away and Bryant got to prove his peer wrong, winning two rings after Shaq’s departure, taking his tally to five.

Kobe Bryant’s winning mentality never allowed him to underestimate his opponents

In the years following his split from Shaq, Kobe Bryant was obsessed with proving his haters wrong. Even when he looked set to surpass the big fella in terms of championships, the Mamba never looked down on his opponents.

It may have been a bit intense, but it is safe to say that the league would have never been the same if it wasn’t for Kobe’s killer instincts.

Also Read: A Rare Game-worn Kobe Bryant Adidas Sneaker From 1998 Sold at an Auction for $27,000

About the author

Nithin Joseph

Nithin is a content writer at The SportsRush. Like his favorite athlete Kobe Bryant, the company has helped Nithin elevate his writing skills to a whole new level, especially as an NBA content writer. With over 1500 articles to his name, Nithin's love for the sport knows no bounds. And, as he continues to watch the sport on a daily basis, he hopes his fascination with the NBA, especially the Miami Heat will inspire more and more readers to give the sport a chance. Perhaps, one day making basketball in India as big as it is in the United States.