One of the NBA’s fiercest rivalries in the early 2000s was the wars between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers. The two powerhouses of the West met in the postseason for three straight years during that era, including once in the Western Conference Finals.
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One man who remembers how epic those battles were is Shaquille O’Neal. The Diesel brought it up during a recent fundraiser at Sacramento State.
O’Neal was on site at a fundraiser to discuss his unpaid role as the Sac State GM, a role that he shares with Kings legend Mike Bibby. Nobody expected him to get nostalgic about his rivalry with Bibby, but that’s exactly what happened when bringing up how he decided to get involved with the California-based school.
“We got a call from the great Mike Bibby,” Shaq told CBS News, who was covering the event. “I have a total different respect for Mike Bibby.” That’s bold coming from the four-time NBA Champ, who spent the early 2000s bulldozing Bibby and the Kings’ playoff hopes.
The two NBA greats’ shared history makes this Sac State pairing even more fascinating. The Diesel later revealed to CBS how the 47-year-old veteran once threatened to throw hands with the Shaq-Fu Master. “During our battles, he was the only Sacramento King that actually physically tried to fight me,” stated Shaq.
That’s wildly brave of Bib. Shaq didn’t just outweight him in every category, but the early 2000s were when the big man was in peak physical condition. Not saying that he wouldn’t have fought bravely, but my money would’ve been on O’Neal to win in the first round.
One thing that Shaq didn’t bring up was how their rivalry wasn’t just confined to the playoffs. The Diesel once questioned Bibby’s spot on the 2004 Olympic roster, asking, “How did Mike Bibby get on the team?” That’s the kind of dismissive jab that fueled the animosity between the Lakers’ superstar and Sacramento’s floor general.
But time changes everything. Shaq has slowly built a connection to Sacramento. He once held a stake in the Kings and joined the owner’s box back in 2013. He did eventually sell his team shares in 2022, but teased at the time that he might be “back someday.” Sac state might not be a pro-league organization, but at least Shaq wasn’t lying.
That’s why this story feels so full-circle. The same guy who once mocked Bibby’s Olympic spot and crushed Sacramento’s championship dreams is now standing beside him, building up a basketball program. It’s hard to imagine these two being in the same room 20 years ago without trash talk or elbows being thrown. Yet they made it work.
Why? Because of respect. As Shaq said, his respect for Bibby feels genuine. It was born from years of competition. And for Bibby, having one of the greatest centers of all time backing his efforts has got to feel good, especially considering the Diesel’s continued popularity. Hopefully, his influence can help the program grow into something elite.
