Shaquille O'Neal reflects on relationship with Kobe Bryant: We were the 'most dominant 1-2 punch ever created' (2024)

Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal joined CBS Sports' "All Things Covered" podcastwith Patrick Patterson and Bryant McFadden on Wednesday to discuss a number of topics, including the late Kobe Bryant. O'Neal and Bryant, of course, played together on the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996-2004, winning three titles and generating plenty of controversy during that run.

Because of some of their personal issues with each other during the Lakers years, O'Neal and Bryant didn't have the closest relationship off the court, something the big man says he regrets.

"Before I lost Kobe, I lost my sister, and I learned that if you have something to say to somebody, say it. ... Kobe and I, we were respectable friends. A lot of people think you have to be best friends to win championships. You don't. You just have to have the ultimate respect, and we definitely had that.

"But we definitely should have communicated more. You know, at least once a week -- 'What are you doing? Hey, what's up!' We're so busy doing our thing, trying to take care of us, after we leave the field and after we leave the court we go our separate ways. And that's understandable, too. I just wish I could have said something to him."

O'Neal explained that he was in the gym with his son when he first heard the news of Kobe's fatal helicopter crash, and broke down after it was confirmed by Lakers officials. But though O'Neal regrets not staying in touch more often with his former teammate, he said he wouldn't change anything about the way their partnership played out on the floor.

"Look, we won three out of four, so if I had to do it all over again, what would I change? I would change nothing. As the leader of the team I had to do what I had to do to get him going, and as a young guy with the fire and the animosity, he did what he did to get me going. That's why we were the most dominant big to little, 1-2 punch ever created. The most enigmatic, the most controversial, the most dominant 1-2 punch ever created."

O'Neal also touched on Bryant's drive to be great, which he saw both on and off the court. From the first day of Bryant's rookie season, O'Neal says it was clear he wanted to be the best ever, and wasn't afraid to fail.

"The most memorable moment is he came in at 17 and wanted to be the best ever. And we had to be like, 'Hey man, chill. Relax, you're gonna get there.' We had to like, let him go. People always go back to Utah game where he shot those three airballs. He was the only guy that wanted the shot. He wanted to be great, he wanted to be in that moment. When he missed, I was the one who grabbed him and said, 'Hey, everybody's laughing at you now, but one day people are gonna fear you when you get the ball in the last second.'"

Bryant had ambitions in the entertainment industry as well, and O'Neal recalled a funny moment that showed just how specific they were.

"The funniest moment is he would always say he was gonna be the 'Will Smith of the NBA.' He would always say that when he was 17. He reminded me of myself. He had goals, he had aspirations. Everything he said he was gonna accomplish, he accomplished it."

Bryant died tragically earlier this year along with his daughter, Gianna, when the helicopter they were riding in crashed into a hill in Calabasas, California. He will be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in the spring, along with Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.