Shaquille O’Neal & Kobe Bryant Could Have Won 10 Rings Together, Says Former Lakers Trainer

Los Angeles Lakers blew their chance of winning 10 titles with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

Shaquille O’Neal & Kobe Bryant Could Have Won 10 Rings Together, Says Former Lakers Trainer

Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant won three consecutive championships with the Lakers from 2000 to 2002.
  • Former Lakers trainer Gary Vitti stated that the duo could have won 10 championships together if not for their toxic relationship.
  • The fallout between O'Neal and Bryant ultimately led to O'Neal's departure from the Lakers in 2004.

When Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant joined forces for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996, it was the start of something special. When Bryant was drafted into the league in 1996, O’Neal joined the Lakers in the same year and was already an established star during his time with the Orlando Magic.

The two won three consecutive championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. O’Neal was a dominant force over the three years, earning Finals MVP honors in all three championship runs. They made it to the NBA Finals once again in 2004 but were beaten by the Detroit Pistons. O’Neal departed for the Miami Heat shortly after, bringing an end to what could have been a historical dynasty.

Former Lakers trainer Gary Vitti revealed that the Lakers could have won 10 championships with O’Neal and Bryant leading the charge, but everything fell apart in the franchise.

It is really easy to blame Shaq and Kobe. What about all the rest of us? The more anger that was created, the more divisive it became and people started choosing sides. Players, staff and fans chose sides and the whole thing came apart. We should have literally won 10 championships.

Gary Vitti on All The Smoke podcast

There is no doubt that the duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal has cemented itself as one of the, if not the greatest duos in NBA history. During their championship runs, the two were an unstoppable force on the court. There has never been a more dominant force in the NBA like O’Neal, and Bryant is one of the best shot-makers the game has ever seen.

As Bryant started to become a bigger personality in the locker room, it created an ego clash with O’Neal. While O’Neal was the Finals MVP in all three years, he didn’t take care of his body as he should have, and it began to hurt the team. The two superstars began to clash more often than not, and it created a toxic player in the locker room.

While O’Neal has denied any feud with Bryant, some believe he was traded away to the Heat because of Bryant growing frustrated with O’Neal’s lack of commitment to his physical shape. The two went on to win championships without one another as the “Diesel” won a title with the Heat in 2006, while Bryant delivered two more championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010.

How did Phil Jackson get Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant on the same page?

After taking a year off following his successful stint with the Chicago Bulls, Phil Jackson returned to coaching with the Lakers in 1999. Prior to Jackson’s arrival, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant spent three seasons together but never made it past the Western Conference Finals.

Gary Vitti was asked about how Jackson got the two superstars to be on the same page after joining the Lakers.

For starters, Phil comes in with six rings. So he comes in with instant credibility. Part two is he has got a five-year, $12 million a year contract. That’s telling all the players that Dr. Buss is saying ‘This is our guy.’ because players can get a coach fired.

Gary Vitti on All The Smoke

The move to hire Jackson was an instant success as the Lakers went on to win three consecutive championships. They showed their dominance in the regular seasons and playoffs. Jackson managed to get the best out of O’Neal and Bryant and got the team playing an exciting brand of basketball.

Rest of the NBA was relieved by the Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant fallout

During their championship runs, Shaquille O’Neal was considered the “Batman”, while Kobe Bryant was seen as the “Robin”. But as Bryant started to develop into a better player and a bigger figure, things began to change.

They spent eight seasons together and made it to four NBA Finals, winning three of them. While it seemed they would continue to dominate for years to come, O’Neal left in 2004.

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal (Image credits – Charli More/X)

Former NBA star and Hall of Famer, Reggie Miller, revealed that their fallout may have been the best thing that could ever happen for the rest of the Association.

You know what? I’m glad. I’m glad they didn’t like one another and they broke up because, seriously, you can make a case they’re arguably the greatest duo ever… Kobe and Shaq has to be the greatest duo ever.

Reggie Miller on the Dan Patrick Show

While it is just an assumption, it is fair to assume that the star duo would go on to win multiple championships if they stayed together. But it is possible that it may not have happened either, as O’Neal struggled to stay fit, while Bryant wanted to lead his team to championships as the primary player. In the end, it worked out for the best.

Also Read: