Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal are one of the greatest duos in the history of the NBA. From 2000 to 2002, they were able to win three straight championships together and while things ended on bad terms, there is no denying they eventually became friends again. These two were absolutely unstoppable on the court, and Los Angeles Lakers fans look back fondly on their time together.
Unfortunately, Kobe was killed earlier this year in a helicopter accident, which left many former teammates, including Shaq, in shock. Recently, Shaq spoke with Hollywood Life about Kobe and revealed some of his favorite memories. He especially had a lot to say about the 2000 NBA title which was their first together.
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“I miss young fella, that’s what I used to call him. But, those memories will always be there, our names will always be attached to one another. Kobe was stolen from us too early," Shaq said. “I actually woke up that morning [the anniversary, June 19, 2020] and the great Andy Bernstein, who took a couple pictures of us at the parade [following the Lakers 2000 championship], sent me the photos. Those are good memories.”
Shaq has been at the forefront of many Kobe tributes as of late and we imagine this will continue to be the case over the coming months. If there was anyone who understood Kobe and his mentality, it was most certainly Shaq.
[Via]