Shaquille O’Neal is one of the greatest Lakers of all time. During his time with the franchise not only did it win 3 consecutive rings, but they were also among the greatest shows in all of sports. But obviously, the man did not achieve all of this alone. There were most definitely other players to help him do it, but none more helpful than one Kobe Bryant.
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At the time, the Black Mamba was one of the most exciting young players in the NBA. And given just how quickly the man was improving, he and Shaq naturally made arguably the best duo in NBA history.
Of course, as many know, they soon parted ways, with Shaq only later explaining the real reason why. However, despite all their past beef, O’Neal maintains his respect for Kobe’s game to this day, perhaps even more so now, than ever before. And nothing stands as bigger proof of that, than his recent social media activity.
Shaquille O’Neal reposts Magic Johnson’s beautifully apt words for Kobe Bryant
There aren’t many that get to ever play in the NBA. Of the ones that do, hardly any are good enough to be a superstar, the centerpiece of their franchise. And even out of that small, yet powerful bunch, there will likely never be any like Kobe Bryant.
This man worked relentlessly to hone his craft every single day. The result? He was dominant in the NBA, beyond that even. He was the embodiment of the phrase, ‘When talent works hard, it’s invincible’.
However, the man wasn’t just good at playing the sport during his time. No, he actually made it highly entertaining to watch for any and all audiences. And speaking on that Magic Johnson once had something to say. Take a look at the Instagram post below.
“We (Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson) were married to winning, and playing the game the right way. And then every night that you came to ‘The Forum’ (Lakers’ arena’s name prior to ‘Staples Center’)… Every night you came to Staples Center you knew you were going to see something special, something great you’ve never seen in your life. And that was Kobe Bryant.”
And as we had mentioned earlier. Shaquille O’Neal couldn’t help but agree with every single syllable spoken here by Johnson. You can find proof of that in the tweet below.
Kobe Bryant was something else. If someone worked hard, he worked harder. And then if that person tried to outwork him, he’d show them just how big the chasmic difference in their tenacity truly was. And in the end, that inspired million, no, billion across the globe. Rest in peace, legend.
What did Kobe Bryant average during his time in the NBA?
In 1,346 games played, Kobe Bryant averaged 25 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. Additionally, he was shooting 44.7% from the field, 32.9% from three, and 83.7% from the free-throw line.
