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Reading: Shaquille O’Neal Says There Will Never Be Another Pairing Like Him And Kobe Bryant: “Kobe And I, Our Legacy Will Never Be Duplicated. Or Imitated.”
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Home > NBA News & Analysis > Shaquille O’Neal Says There Will Never Be Another Pairing Like Him And Kobe Bryant: “Kobe And I, Our Legacy Will Never Be Duplicated. Or Imitated.”

Shaquille O’Neal Says There Will Never Be Another Pairing Like Him And Kobe Bryant: “Kobe And I, Our Legacy Will Never Be Duplicated. Or Imitated.”

Nico Martinez
Dec 17, 2020
3 Min Read
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With a Championship secured, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have officially etched their names in Lakers history as one of the franchise’s great star duos. Even as James turns 36 later this month, many expect continued success for the Lakers in the next few years to come. Who knows much more will James and Davis accomplish together?

According to Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal, however, no matter what the pair does going forward, it will never quite match the legacy he and Kobe built together back in the early 2000s. Speaking to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, O’Neal explained why there will never be another “Shaq and Kobe.”

“There will never be the next [Shaq and Kobe],” O’Neal said. “We don’t need them to catch up to us,” O’Neal said. “Kobe and myself were not trying to catch Magic [Johnson] and Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] … Kobe and I, [our] legacy will never be duplicated. Or imitated.”

It’s no secret that the early 2000s Lakers were almost unbeatable. Winning three straight titles behind the backs of Kobe and Shaq at the height of their powers, it’s tough for anyone today to live up to that level of greatness, especially for a duo that has only been together for one season.

Still, the opinion wasn’t limited to the AD/Lebron duo specifically. As Shaq explained, he and Kobe never tried to be like Magic and Kareem, either, because there could never be another Magic and Kareem.

“We don’t want to get into the situation where they can be the next us because there will never be a next us,” O’Neal added. “Magic and Kareem can never be us. We could never be Magic and Kareem. And we can never be LeBron and AD.”

Many stars have donned the Purple and Gold throughout the franchise’s illustrious existence. With 17 Championships to show for it, and a fanbase that stretches far and wide, the lure and glamour of being a Laker is unmistakable.

But perhaps being a star player on the Lakers means building a new legacy, not building over the many stories and legends from seasons passed.

While Bron and Davis have found ultimate success in just their first year together, and more might still come, the comparisons to Shaq and Kobe probably aren’t going to get anywhere — at least not as long as Shaq himself has anything to say about it.

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TAGGED:Kobe BryantShaquille O'Neal
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ByNico Martinez
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Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
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