Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal may have had their beef that became quite the story in the NBA, but there was a time when they collectively agreed to shake hands and get things done.
Following their three-peat between 2000 and 2002, the Lakers were expected to continue with their winning ways, but they couldn’t get past the San Antonio Spurs in 2003, washing away the hopes of making it their fourth NBA Championship in a row.
In their bid to become unbeatable, the Purple and Gold further bolstered their squad with Karl Malone and Gary Payton, and Bryant, along with O’Neal, had their part to play in landing ‘The Glove.’
Kobe Bryant And Shaquille O’Neal Overturned Phil Jackson’s Decision And Added Gary Payton
The Laker’s head coach, Phil Jackson wasn’t reportedly keen on signing Payton with the LA, but his decision was overturned by the duo.
An excerpt from Jeff Pearlman’s book, ‘Three Ring Circus’ examined the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty from 1996-2004, and the author explained how the events panned out.
Phil Jackson never wanted Gary Payton to be a Laker. It’s true, and while Los Angeles’s coach greeted the veteran point guard’s signing with smiles and nods and a big thumbs-up, he had been around long enough to know that even the most smoothly run operation was always one bad apple removed from rot. In this acquisition, however, Jackson was granted no say. Shaquille O’Neal aspired to put together a super team.
He further added:
“Kobe Bryant aspired to put together a super team. Karl Malone aspired to join a super team, but not without Payton, his longtime rival/friend. So even though the triangle offense was no place for a score-first point guard with an ego and a love of the forever dribble, and even though Jackson considered Derek Fisher to be the perfect runner of the show, Jim Buss—Jerry Buss’s son and the team’s assistant general manager—insisted that Payton be signed. And now he was a Los Angeles Laker.”
Bryant had a solid relationship with Payton and credited him for helping him hone his defense. So, it was understandable why he and O’Neal wanted the Seattle Supersonics star to be part of the Lakers.
The move, though, took the side to the NBA Finals, but the Lakers couldn’t vault over the Detroit Pistons, who won the series 4-1.
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