Devin Booker Trashes Shaquille O’Neal and Others For Hateful Kobe Bryant Controversy

Jul 9, 2022 | 1:30 PM EDT

Devin Booker Trashes Shaquille O’Neal and Others For Hateful Kobe Bryant Controversy

Jul 9, 2022 | 1:30 PM EDT

There are a handful of stars who have a better trophy cabinet than Kobe Bryant. Apart from his achievements on the court, Bryant’s influence on the game is unmatched. Consequently, Kobe has influenced stars like Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum.

However, their love for Kobe brings in criticism more often than not. For instance, analysts and fans bashed Tatum for his antics during the NBA playoffs. Tatum sent a text to Kobe and also wore the Lakers legend’s Celtics attire during workouts.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

Talking in an interview, Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker addressed haters for unnecessarily bashing Tatum and himself for showing love for their idol.

Devin Booker addresses all the Kobe Bryant slander

There is no denying that Devin Booker is one of the best players in the league currently. The Phoenix Suns star recently signed a four-year extension with his team and was chosen as the cover star for NBA 2K23. He shares the cover with Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan and WNBA star Sue Bird.

During an interview, Booker addressed questions regarding the cover and the league in general. The interviewer asked DBook his thoughts regarding all the Kobe Bryant criticism.

Booker said, “I see (Tatum) getting hate just representing Kobe and being inspired by him. But Kobe always said his one job is to inspire the next generation — that’s what he’s done for us.” Devin added, “I think it’s foolish for people to give hate to somebody like me or Jayson representing one of our idols.“

Alongside fans and analysts, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal was one of the biggest names to criticize Tatum. Shaq held nothing back as he talked about Jayson on his podcast. The 4 time NBA champion asserted that the Celtics star needs to step his game up and that he was not a fan of the antics.

Tatum famously texted the late Kobe Bryant before a playoff game saying, “I got you today.” Moreover, he also wore Kobe’s Celtics attire during workouts and the Lakers legend’s armband.

WATCH THIS STORY: 3 Times 395 Pound NBA Giant Shaquille ONeal Scared The Life Out Of Fans By Diving Head First Into The Crowd

Do you agree with Devin Booker? Let us know in the comments down below.

Written by

Abhinava Ghosh

1,823 Articles

Abhinava Ghosh is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports with a wealth of experience covering the league. He has written over 1400 articles for EssentiallySports, showcasing his expertise in analyzing and reporting on NBA trade rumors, injury updates, and the ever-changing dynamics of the league. He had successfully covered the entire Kevin Durant trade saga at Brooklyn, which led to the basketball legend’s move to the Desert. He also kept our readers updated on the Brittney Griner situation throughout her exile in Russia. One of Abhinava's proudest moments came in 2015 when the Golden State Warriors won the NBA title after 40 years. As a lifelong fan of the Dubs, Abhinava was thrilled to see his team reach the pinnacle of the sport, but he remained objective and professional in his reporting.

Know more

Edited by

Arunaditya Aima