Shaq Speaks On Kobe Bryant's Death And How He Mourned Him

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Shaq
Kobe Bryant's passing was a particular shock for his former teammate, Shaq.

Kobe Bryant's tragic passing is something that still doesn't seem real to many sports fans. Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in California on January 26th. His death will forever be something in which people remember where they were when they found out about it.

Kobe's passing has been particularly hard on his former teammates, including Shaq who certainly had his fair share of ups and downs with the Black Mamba. In a recent interview, Shaq spoke about all of the pain he has been feeling and what he did when he first heard the news. As he explains, he immediately began watching old games in which he and Kobe were at their best.

Shaq Speaks On Kobe Bryant's Death And How He Mourned Him
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

“When he passed away, I couldn’t believe it,” O'Neal told the Hollywood Reporter. “I watched every playoff game that we ever played. I just sat in my room and told people I don’t want to talk to anyone. And I am just looking at him [on film] like it can’t be true because he is right there on the screen.”

A month after Bryant's death, Shaq went on to deliver a touching yet humorous speech at Kobe's memorial at the Staples Center. While Kobe is no longer with us, we're sure he was somewhere laughing at Shaq's jokes about Kobe's competitive spirit.

[Via]


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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