Video: Kobe Bryant shared a brief incident about his fight with Shaquille OโNeal
While Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant had their differences, it never got to the point where things got physical. However, in an old video of the two talking, the late Kobe Bryant revealed that a fight almost broke out between the two.
On "Players Only Shaq and Kobe," the five-time NBA champion said:
"We were playing a pickup game. It was during a lockout season, South West College playing a pick game. We were on opposite teams, and trash-talking. And you kept saying, 'Yeah, take that little b***h, take that little b***h.' I'm looking around, 'You talking to me?'
"I said, 'Hold on, there ain't gonna be too many more of those.' And what did you say? 'What you gonna do about it?'. The next thing I knew I saw a big hand coming this way, and I remember going this way. And I remember throwing some lollipop s**t."
O'Neal has been involved in several altercations throughout his career. However, Bryant had a different mentality. While it is normal for players to get in each other's faces, it never escalated beyond that for "Black Mamba."
Shaquille O'Neal believes him and Kobe Bryant are the most dominant duo in Lakers history
The LA Lakers are one of the most successful teams in NBA history. They are tied with the Boston Celtics for the most championships (17).
Many great players have donned the purple and gold, but Shaq believes no duo was as dominant as him and Bryant.
O'Neal made the bold claim on "Oprah's Master Class." While he acknowledged that Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were the greatest duo in Lakers history, he felt his partnership with Bryant was superior:
"Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal on the court had a perfect relationship. Off the court, at times we bump heads. It happens."
After citing an example of how members of the Beatles had problems but are one of the greatest acts of all time, he continued:
"Shaq and Kobe had problems but guess what, we're the most dominant Laker 1-2 punch, little guy-big man ever, in the history of the Lakers. And that goes for Magic and Kareem also, no disrespect. It doesn't get more enigmatic, more eccentric, as the relationship Kobe and I had."
With O'Neal and Bryant, the Lakers won three consecutive championships between 2000-2002. If Shaq stayed with the Lakers for longer, many believe they could have won more together.
Nonetheless, Shaq ended his Lakers career with three championships. He joined the Miami Heat in 2004 and won another title with Dwyane Wade in 2006.
In LA, Bryant formed a new partnership with Pau Gasol and led the Lakers to two more championships in 2009 and 2010.