"No more coming into camp fat": Kobe Bryant's fiery attack against Shaquille O'Neal signaled the end of Lakers dynasty in 2003
The Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal duo was among the most dominant in the history of the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers won three straight championships, with Bryant and O'Neal dominating their opponents on the court. However, the partnership was strained off the court and eventually broke beyond repair.
On October 28, 2003, Bryant gave an explosive interview to ESPN, where he took multiple shots at O'Neal and his sense of leadership within the Lakers locker room. The interview was the final straw in the on-court relationship between the two superstars, especially after Bryant noted that O'Neal would regularly come into training camp overweight.
"There's more to life than whose team this is," Bryant said. "But this is his team, so it's time for him to act like it. That means no more coming into camp fat and out of shape, when your team is relying on your leadership on and off the court."
Kobe Bryant continued:
"It also means no more blaming others for our team's failure, or blaming staff members for not overdramatizing your injuries so that you avoid blame for your lack of conditioning. Also, 'my team' doesn't mean only when we win; it means carrying the burden of defeat just as gracefully as you carry a championship trophy."
The 2003-04 season was O'Neal's last year with the Lakers. The Purple and Gold failed to secure a championship during their 22-game playoff run, and during the offseason, O'Neal took his talents to the Miami Heat, where he won a championship during his second season with the franchise.
Kobe Bryant believed he sacrificed his game for Shaquille O'Neal to succeed
During the same ESPN interview, Kobe Bryant remarked that Phil Jackson continually asked him to "pull back" so that O'Neal could dominate in the paint. The late superstar said that he sacrificed for the good of the Los Angeles Lakers and for O'Neal.
"I have been successfully sacrificing my game for years for Shaq. That's what Phil [Jackson] wanted me to do, so I did it. Last year Phil told me Shaq was not in physical condition to carry the trust of our offense, so he asked me to do it."
Kobe Bryant continued:
"But then he saw Shaq was getting upset that the team wasn't running through him, so Phil asked me to pull back and I did. This year is no different; my role is whatever Phil wants it to be. Period."
Bryant eventually assumed a lead role with the Lakers and continued to build his legacy with the franchise. However, during his time with Shaquille O'Neal, it was clear that Bryant played a secondary role. Irrespective of their off-court issues, the Bryant and O'Neal duo will go down in history as one of the best tandems the NBA has ever seen.