“There’s one boss and one boss only…” Shaquille O’Neal breaks silence on rumors of having a feud with ex-teammate Kobe Bryant

Kobe and O'Neal were teammates during the Lakers golden era and won three rings in a row.

“There’s one boss and one boss only…” Shaquille O’Neal breaks silence on rumors of having a feud with ex-teammate Kobe Bryant

Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant (Credits: Rolling Stone)

The Shaq-Kobe feud was a widely recognized disagreement between former NBA players Shaquille O’Neal and the late Kobe Bryant. They were teammates for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 to 2004, during which time they achieved significant success, winning three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002.

The feud escalated due to personal differences and disagreements over their roles on the Lakers. This tension ultimately resulted in a trade that sent Shaquille O’Neal to the Miami Heat, marking the end of their partnership as teammates. However, in a recent interview, Shaquille O’Neal disputes the narrative going around in the media.

In an episode on the Big Podcast with Shaq, he gave context to what he termed a false narrative by the media. He said:

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What y’all have to understand [there] was never a feud. You gotta understand there’s one boss and one boss only, and a lot of time, you know, you got people that work for you, and it don’t go like that. However, the respect has to always be there.

He added:

We don’t see eye to eye, but it ain’t a feud. It just looks like a feud. ‘Cause Imma keep it real, when I’m gettin’ doubled, he the first dude I’m looking for. When he gettin’ doubled, I’m the first dude he looking for. Forget all that. I hate that the outsiders say you have to be this [or] you have to be that. No, you don’t; you don’t need all that.

Despite their differences, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant maintained a high level of self-respect for each other. This mutual understanding and professionalism played a crucial role in leading the Los Angeles Lakers to three NBA championship titles during their time together.

After parting ways, O’Neal went on to win his fourth and final championship with the Miami Heat, while Kobe remained with the Lakers and secured two additional championship rings.

Kobe Bryant’s career in perspective

The late Kobe Bryant spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. Kobe is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport as he won five NBA championships and was an 18-time All-Star, in addition to being the 2008 MVP.

Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant (via Open Source/X)

With career averages of 25 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game Kobe finished as the fourth-leading scorer in league history with 33,643 points. Notably, Bryant scored 40-plus points in 121 games and recorded 21 triple-doubles in his career.

Bryant alongside his daughter and seven others died in a helicopter crash in 2020. The All-Star MVP Award is in his honor and the player himself was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

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