Discussions around mainstream sports often tend to be fascinating in various means. Despite there being no let up in what is actually happening at a given time, “What if”s form an unimitable part of sports discussions.
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Conjectures around what could have been are any sports fan’s favorite point of debate. And one of the greatest “What if”s of NBA basketball surrounds the Lakers of Shaq and Kobe.
The duo established themselves as the premier partnership in the NBA during the 2000s. They still hold the honor of being the last team to three-peat in the league. Their dominance was scary and there arguably hasn’t been a greater duo in terms of offensive potency.
However, tides were constantly rocking the Lakers ship. The two massive egos collided a lot of times and it finally reached a point where the two stars just could not deal with each other anymore. The Lakers finally budged and moved Shaq to Miami in 2004.
What if Shaq and Kobe hadn’t been broken up and had patched up their sour spot, therefore, haunting Laker-ville to date? Looking into it realistically though, it was a surprise it even lasted as much as it did. How long was a relationship that involved a Shaq-sized death threat to Kobe going to be even sustained?
Why did Shaquille O’Neal threaten to kill Kobe Bryant in the early 2000s?
There was constant noise from the Laker camp during the Shaq-Kobe era about how the stars didn’t really get along. This was bound to happen when two contrasting characters with tall egos crossed paths. But it would seem that airing their dirty laundry in public was where Shaquille O’Neal drew the line.
Kobe Bryant, according to reports, wished to issue a statement through Jim Gray, calling out O’Neal’s shortcomings as a Laker. In his statement, the Lakers guard intended to shred his teammate for his lack of commitment to fitness and allegedly even blamed Shaq for delaying his toe surgery in 2002.
This became a problem as a report by Jim Gray wouldn’t have been seen as just a tabloid piece. As a former teammate of Kobe and Shaq’s, John Salley puts it, “It’s legit” if it came from Jim Gray.
Kobe allegedly even stated that “A guy selling donuts at a Seven-Eleven had more pride in his job” while describing Superman’s alleged lack of commitment to the common cause. One can understand why O’Neal absolutely lost his marbles hearing Kobe’s statements to a reputed media figure.
The article never reached the masses, though. Jim Gray held a good relationship with O’Neal too and realized how it would break all hell loose if published. Regardless, it prompted enough rage in the 370-pound big man to prompt a death threat toward his teammate.
Despite it not reaching a wider audience, The Big Diesel, was done in LA. Shaq demanded to be traded and would be moved at the end of the season in 2003-04. Thus ended the one-two punch that dominated the league.
How did Shaq and Kobe fare away from each other’s company in the NBA?
Shaquille O’Neal joined forces with the next big shooting guard prospect, Dwyane Wade, and secured another championship in 2006. This marked Wade and Miami’s first, and O’Neal’s fourth NBA championship. However, it would prove to be the last ring Shaq got his hands on.
The Lakers, on the other hand, struggled initially without O’Neal. But they slowly recovered and built a competent roster around Kobe. Pairing Bryant with solid big men clearly was a good plan of action as Pau Gasol joined forces and helped the LA franchise secure another couple of rings.
Shaq and Kobe, therefore, ended their careers with four and five rings respectively. Bryant definitely took this as a personal victory over his towering ex-teammate. In his eyes, the more dedicated player rightfully ended his career with more championships – a fair outcome.
But once again, the “What if” needs to be raised. Would the two have ended with more championship titles if they left their ego behind and combined forces for longer?
