Shaquille O’ Neal and the late NBA star Kobe Bryant shared an infamous beef. However, Shaq and Kobe famously reconciled their dispute later on in their lives. They both donned the Los Angeles Lakers jersey together for eight years. It was a partnership that resulted in three titles out of four trips to the NBA Finals. Shaq eventually decided to part ways with Lakers. It has been revealed that Shaq had hard time dealing with the passing away of his former teammate.
Shaquille O’ Neal opens up on Kobe Bryant
In a recent interview, he admitted that he can’t fall asleep until 5 a.m. since he’s still mourning the losses of his sister and longtime teammate Kobe Bryant.
“I don’t go to bed till 5 AM. Ever since Kobe and my sister died, I can’t sleep,” Shaq said.
It’s been over two years since Bryant passed away in a helicopter crash, while O’Neal’s sister passed away three years ago after a battle with cancer. The sports community is heartbroken for Shaq after reading that quote.
Shaq:
“I don’t go to bed till 5 AM… Ever since Kobe [Bryant] and my sister died I can’t sleep.”
🥺❤️
(via @HBO) pic.twitter.com/ZQtACr0lRG
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 27, 2022
In an interview with VladTV, John Salley opened up about how Kobe’s comment affected Big Diesel. He pointed out that after these comments were made, at the end of the season, Shaq joined the Miami Heat. Salley stated that the four-time NBA champion needed a force to bring out the best in Shaq and this force was Kobe’s comments. While referring to Mamba’s interview, Salley stated that Shaq wasn’t lazy rather he said:
“Shaq had an affinity of gaining weight”.
This weight gain affected his gameplay. The narrative of Shaq being lazy and fat triggered a reaction in the 15-time All-Star. As Salley said, Shaq reached Miami and soon became the fittest he had ever been. Sally added:
“That’s to prove I’m (Shaq) not fat I’m not lazy. Look at what but it took that (Kobe’s comments) and it took Pat Riley”.
