For NBA fans of the 2000s, the beef between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal was the topic of the decade. The duo that inspired fear in the heart of the opponents had separated due to differences in 2004 when Shaq requested a trade.
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Arguably, the greatest duo to team up in the NBA, they achieved a lot of success together. They teamed up in 1996 and were teammates till 2004. During their time, they won 3 consecutive championships and dominated the court.
Even though Shaq and Kobe had separated, they always had mutual respect for each other’s games. Both would eventually win championships with other teammates and put their feud behind them. They eventually reconciled, and Shaquille O’Neal was completely heartbroken at the news of Kobe’s demise.
Kobe Bryant’s heartfelt gesture toward Shaquille O’Neal’s son after the 2009 NBA All-Star Game
An incident that played a huge role in resolving the differences happened in the 2009 NBA All-Star game. In the book ‘Shaq Uncut: My Story’, the Lakers legend shares a story after the duo was declared the co-MVP of the game. Here is what he wrote:
“I’m there with my son, and we’ve got this one trophy, so I said, “Here, Kobe, you take it.” He said, “No, give it to your son. I’ll get mine later. Give it to your little guy.”
Shareef O’Neal, an NBA G-League professional, grew up around Kobe Bryant and saw his father share special moments with him. So as a young kid, when he received the trophy from Kobe, it made him feel special.
“So here’s my son Shareef coming home with this big trophy and he tells all
his friends, Kobe gave me his MVP trophy. I don’t think he even realized I got the MVP trophy, too. It was all about Kobe. It almost brought a tear to my eye. Seriously. I mean it.”
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal feud
The differences began when Shaq came into the season out of shape, and Kobe did not like this fact. It eventually resulted in a loss in the playoffs and ended the championship run.
Kobe had publicly commented on Shaq’s work ethic while he responded with Kobe’s selfishness on the court. The following season, Bryant was dealing with rape accusations and allegedly Shaq did not reach out to him.
He stated – ‘Shaq was supposed to be my friend’. The media comments did not sit well with the coaches and front office. Eventually, it led to Shaquille O’Neal requesting a trade.
