Shaquille O’Neal Says 2009 All-Star Game Ended His Rift With Kobe Bryant
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Shaquille O’Neal says he realized his long-running feud with Kobe Bryant was finished when the two shared Most Valuable Player honors at the 2009 NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix.
Speaking on “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” the Hall of Fame center recalled that Bryant handed his co-MVP trophy to O’Neal’s then-teenage son Shareef after the game. “When somebody does something like that for your child, any beef is over,” O’Neal said on the Oct. 17 episode.
The gesture came after years of tension between the former Los Angeles Lakers teammates. O’Neal and Bryant won three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002 but often clashed over work habits and roles. The conflict escalated until O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004. Although public jabs continued for several seasons, the center’s 2009 All-Star experience convinced him the animosity had finally ended.
The Phoenix showcase doubled as O’Neal’s 15th and final All-Star appearance. The veteran, then playing for the Suns, scored 17 points and highlighted the night with a choreographed entrance alongside the Jabbawockeez dance crew. Bryant led all scorers with 27 points, and the Western Conference beat the East 146-119.
O’Neal’s Current Lakers Commentary
O’Neal, a frequent commentator on the Lakers, recently called on new Los Angeles center Deandre Ayton to elevate his play. The Lakers signed the former No. 1 overall pick in the offseason, and O’Neal said Ayton needs to “step it up” after a slow Opening Night performance.
Source: Lakers Nation
