Shaquille O'Neal: Kobe Bryant 'Greatest Laker Ever'
Shaquille O'Neal has put a rivalry to rest and called former teammate Kobe Bryant the "greatest Laker ever."
O'Neal and Bryant were teammates on the Lakers for nine seasons, 1996 to 2004, and won three championships. Yet their time together included a well-known rivalry and feud over the team and other personal issues. The two competed for leadership of the Lakers before O'Neal moved on to the Boston Celtics.
Bryant surpassed O'Neal's record for fifth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list after scoring in Monday's game against the 76ers. He now has 28,597 points, one more than O'Neal and following such greats Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, and Wilt Chamberlain.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
O'Neal tweeted his support and enthusiasm for Bryant: "Congrats to Kobe for being the greatest laker (sic) thanks for making us the greatest laker (sic) one two punch (sic) ever and congrats on passin (sic) me up 2 (sic)."
Bryant told CBS Sports, "I appreciate it. I'm sure Shaq and I will connect at some point and revisit history." He is currently playing for the Lakers and signed a three-year contract for $87 million in 2010 after the team won the NBA championship.
O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004 due to the rivalry with Bryant. He then spent time with the Phoenix Suns before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009. He played with the Boston Celtics for one season in 2010 before announcing his retirement.
The Lakers team has provided the NBA with many memorable players spanning its illustrious career, which includes 16 championships. Wilt Chamberlain, fourth-time MVP (Most Valuable Player), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson have all donned Lakers jerseys. The team has seen 16 Hall of Fame players and four MVP award winners.
