The Los Angeles Lakers were a dominant force in the NBA when they had both Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant on the roster. They were some of the best players in the league playing together.
While they were both in Los Angeles, they won three straight titles from 2000-02. Bryant emerged as one of the best shooting guards in the league, while Shaq continued to be the most dominant center.Cooper Flagg’s Top 5 Duke Basketball Players
Lakers News: Kobe Bryant Avoided Another Shaq-Like Teammate, Says Gary Vitti
The Lakers great did not want to play with another player like Shaq ever again.
Ryan Stano | 14 Minutes Ago
Mar 24, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers former center Shaquille O’Neal (left) and guard Kobe Bryant react during ceremony to unveil statue of O’Neal at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mar 24, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers former center Shaquille O’Neal (left) and guard Kobe Bryant react during ceremony to unveil statue of O’Neal at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers were a dominant force in the NBA when they had both Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant on the roster. They were some of the best players in the league playing together.
While they were both in Los Angeles, they won three straight titles from 2000-02. Bryant emerged as one of the best shooting guards in the league, while Shaq continued to be the most dominant center.
Eventually, things between them became untenable. Each of them wanted to be the alpha on the team, and O’Neal was eventually traded to the Miami Heat. Bryant made sure not to ever play with a teammate like him again.
Read more: Former Lakers Guard Knew Moment Kobe Bryant Was Ready to Retire
Former Lakers guard Kobe Bryant allegedly avoided playing with a dominant center after Shaq left
According to former Lakers trainer Gary Vitti, Bryant never wanted to play with a dominant center again after O’Neal left. In fact, he made sure that one was never brought in.
“Kobe had finally accepted that he needed a low-post player to win. Kobe didn’t want to play with a dominant center. Michael didn’t, and Kobe didn’t want to either. He told me that. After the Shaq trade [in 2004], Kobe said, ‘I don’t want to play with a dominant center.'”Bryant didn’t think that Pau Gasol was a center close to Shaq’s level, which is why he was fine with the Lakers making a trade for him. Gasol ended up being pretty darn good, though.
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The Lakers ended up winning two more championships without Shaq thanks to Gasol. Bryant still wanted to control the offense and the ball and not have to dump it into a great center all the time.
Had Bryant been able to play ten years later, he wouldn’t have had to. Dominant centers are no longer a common part of the modern-day NBA game. He could have dominated all he wanted.It’s not surprising that Bryant didn’t want to play with an alpha guy in the post. He was the ultimate alpha, and there is only room for one of those athletes on a team at a time.
