And what a damn good decision that turned out to be. I remember when this happened. Kobe was in his prime with many many years left. Shaq was getting fat, old and out of shape. It was a no brainer. http://www.nba.com/2012/news/02/06/lakers-bryant-scoring.ap/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt2 Bryant passes O'Neal for 5th on NBA scoring list Posted Feb 6 2012 8:19PM PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has passed former teammate Shaquille O'Neal and moved into fifth place on the NBA's career scoring list. Bryant needed 24 points to pass O'Neal entering Monday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. O'Neal retired with 28,596 points. Bryant nailed a long jumper late in the first half to give him 24 points. O'Neal and Bryant often clashed, even while leading the Lakers to NBA championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
SHAQ SHAQ [rQUOTEr]Congrats to Kobe for being the greatest laker ever thanks for making us the greatest laker one two punch ever and congrats on passin me up 2[/rQUOTEr]
it was a sometimes criticized move at the time.... tough call now is....who do they choose over Kobe?
That wasn't the issue. It was the fact that they could have won 3 or 4 more championships together. Instead they both let ego get in the way. The worst part was the ownership eating right out of Kobe's hand. They shoulda forced the 2 to sit together and mend it out. They should have been indifferent to both. Instead, they decided to worsen the drama and pick a side.
This. But I'm glad they ended up splitting. They could have been one of the greatest dynasties of all time.
^^^^ That's the problem. Why couldn't they last 15 seasons....because neither of them is unselfish enough to put winning first? Kobe is wrong, as two alpha males have played on teams and won lot's of titles. He doesn't need to look beyond his own franchise to get an example (Magic & Kareem). A wing and pivot that can take over games is about as natural as you can get. The only unnatural thing is both of them were selfish, but that's on them as individuals and has nothing to do with their games or how they meshed. It's simply a case of two bickering dudes ruining a great thing. As far as the decision to go with Kobe, if you have to pick one then going with the younger guy was the right move. Thank the stars the Gasol trade went through or Kobe is still sitting on 3 titles.
Right, Kobe can rewrite some of the story AFTER the fact. (Not just Kobe, thats what WINNERS can do. Ex: Dirk Nowitzki. Tom Coughlin) The correct answer should be WIN the championships first and then let the MEDIA and FANS decide on who's more important. Lebron & Wade as jackassy as the way they got together was, their issue is PURELY about how their GAMES on the COURT mesh together. Its not about egos and spotlights.
In this case I don't think so. Kobe and Shaq seriously, truly disliked one another. As probably the two most dominant players in their prime, they just couldn't coexist in the same room. Shaq is the more extroverted easygoing (and lazy) of the two, and Kobe more pensive, serious (and hardworking). Shaq admittedly waited until the last possible minute to get a needed surgery; he wanted the time off. (Granted, he took more of a pounding out there, what with nearly 400 pounds and people hacking at him with crowbars under the basket.) Kobe's out there with a screwed-up wrist, playing well. In any case, I don't miss them as a pair, but I can see why the Lakers went with Kobe. He was still in his prime. Shaq's prime was unceremoniously on the way out, and only a coach of Pat Riley's stature could convince him to concentrate on boards and D while Wade handled the bulk of the scoring.
Shaq went off and got a title WITHOUT Kobe FIRST. There was a reason Shaq first was asking Kobe to tell him how his ass tastes. Lakers probably woulda eventually got SOMEONE. Maybe if they never got Gasol then its Amare or a player like that. But Kobe was sweating it for a while
Greatest laker of all-time imo. People hate on the guy because of his personality but he has been an absolute monster for like the last 10 seasons. Not a player I would rather have with the ball in his hands when the game is on the line.
Shaq is actually an ISTP... an introvert.. hardly a dominant extrovert Thats why he just pushes out witty one liners.. probably why some guys criticize how terrible he is on TNT When its all said and done, the game had to adjust to Shaq... mostly all you talk about when mentioning Kobe is chucking and points Kobe is hardly the greatest Laker, let alone the best player of his generation... all of that talk is a joke
Shaq didn't play long enough for the Lakers to qualify for the top Laker. I was around to see Magic play, and not taking anything away from him he is an all-time great but he was never a threat to drop 50 in a game. Kobe once scored 81 points in a game. The only area Magic was clearly better was his vision and maybe rebounding.
50 a game? He was a point guard. He actually made players around him better He played all 5 positions He won more than 1 MVP He was among the highest in dominating his generation without peer You are delusional if you want to name some guy who has only won 1 MVP which should've gone to Chris Paul as the greatest anything How about Kareem? ..and im sorry but Shaq was a Laker... Kobe was his far and away 2nd banana he was clearly not better. Its not even close
