As Kobe Bryant’s teammate on the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal recently disclosed that he had a special method of inspiring the star guard: intentionally upsetting him. In an effort to get under Bryant’s skin and fan his competitive flame, O’Neal would frequently draw parallels between himself and basketball greats like Michael Jordan and LeBron James. The pair went on to have incredible success together, suggesting that this strategy was quite successful.
Along with legendary duos like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Bryant and O’Neal constituted one of the most powerful teams in NBA history. The two anchored the Lakers and took the team to remarkable heights from the 1996–97 season to the 2003–04 campaign.
Eight seasons together were spent by the only time the Lakers have won 50 or more games came during the 1998–99 season, which was cut short and ended with a 31–19 record. They were so dominant in the postseason that they never lost in the first round and qualified for the postseason each year. Bryant and O’Neal led the Lakers to five Western Conference Finals and four NBA Finals appearances, despite a couple second-round defeats.
The Lakers’ most notable accomplishment was winning three straight NBA titles from 2000 to 2002—a feat that has only been accomplished by a small number of teams in NBA history. No team has been as dominant since that epic run.
Lakers supporters should be grateful for O’Neal’s tough-love method with Bryant because it’s unclear if Without the inspirational strategies of O’Neal, their collaboration would never have resulted in such a dynasty in Los Angeles. The dynamic pair cemented their position in the annals of NBA excellence by leaving an enduring impression on the league.
