- Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant often clashed during their time as teammates
- O’Neal was traded by the Lakers in 2004 after the duo had won three titles together
- O’Neal thinks they would have won seven championships had it not happened
Shaquille O’Neal believes he and Kobe Bryant could have won seven titles together, had egos not gotten in the way. During an appearance on the All The Smoke podcast, Shaq spoke about what could have been had he not left the Los Angeles Lakers in 2004.
“Egos get in the way,” O’Neal said. “That word, ‘My team,’ will mess you up. A lot of unnecessary stuff that shouldn’t have happened, happened, because of the ego. And it was probably my fault.”
O’Neal took the blame and was later asked how many titles he and Kobe could have won if they stayed together.
“Seven,” O’Neal stated. “’cause the reason why I got traded, it wasn’t about me and Kobe beefin’. They wanted me to take less money. I just should’ve been like, ‘Alright, it’s your team now.’ I know what I’m gonna do. I’m still gonna do my 28 and 10.”
Accepting that pay cut wasn’t something O’Neal was interested in at that time, however.
“But I was like nah,” O’Neal continued. “I want 150. If I had it all over to do again, I probably would’ve had a meeting with the family… See, it’s that ego. The ego still got me what I wanted, I still won one, but I’d have liked to have stayed there the rest of my career.”
O’Neal and Bryant had achieved a historic three-peat from 2000 to 2002. They then made the NBA Finals in 2004 as well, where they lost to the Detroit Pistons. Shaq demanded a trade after that and was eventually dealt to the Miami Heat.
O’Neal would go on to win a title with the Heat in 2006, while Bryant would win back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.
It isn’t completely unrealistic, then, to think they could have won seven had they stuck together and put their egos aside. That’s easier said than done, though, and it’s a shame that players only realize what they should have done after they retire.
Shaquille O’Neal Believes He And Kobe Bryant Are The Greatest Duo Ever
Fortunately, Kobe and Shaq ended their beef before the former’s tragic passing. The 51-year-old often pays tribute to Bryant nowadays, with O’Neal including Kobe in his list of the top 10 players of all time.
O’Neal also believes he and Kobe would demolish any duo put against them, as he thinks they are the greatest ever.
It is up for debate whether they were the best in the history of the NBA, but they’re certainly in the conversation. You’re just left wondering what might have been if they hadn’t broken up.
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