Los Angeles legends Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal moved on from their feud years ago and have spoken reverently of each other in public, but Bryant’s recent boast that he would have won a dozen championships if Shaq wasn’t lazy had the NBA world buzzing this week.
In an interview for Valuetainment, Bryant said that O’Neal was a force unlike any other in his prime, but that he could have been the greatest player of all time if he had Bryant’s work ethic.
“I wish he was in the gym. I would have had [expletive] 12 rings…. It wouldn’t even be close.
…. Me and Shaq sit down all the time and I say ‘if your lazy [expletive] was in shape.'”
After the comments started to circulate, Bryant tweeted on Wednesday that O’Neal was still the “#MDE” (most dominant ever). O’Neal defended himself on Instagram, commenting that the Lakers wouldn’t have immortalized him with a statue if he didn’t work hard.
“U woulda had twelve if u passed the ball more especially in the finals against the pistons #facts”
“You don’t get statues by not working hard”
Bryant then cleared the air on Twitter, and wrote that he and Shaq are “too old to beef.”
Shaq responded by roasting new Lakers center Dwight Howard, who also famously clashed with Bryant during his initial spell in Los Angeles.
NBA fans celebrated Shaq and Kobe putting aside their differences to clown Howard.
