We talk about the greatest players, teams, duos, eras, and dynasties. The Lakers in the early 2000s probably had a bunch of it all. Their dynasty did not last for many years, like the Bulls before them or the Warriors in the last decade or the Lakers in the 80s, and so on. But they certainly had two of the best players ripping apart oppositions for fun in almost every game. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

The duo together was the definition of formidable. While Kobe was still developing during the early 2000s, Shaq was in his prime. Phil Jackson had the duo ready to sacrifice and think only about winning for the team. This is what marked their careers ahead as well. But it did not start with success and they had to work hard. And recently, Shaq shared a throwback of that ‘hard work’.

Shaq shared a post on his Instagram story which was a picture of Kobe gearing up to dunk on Shaq. Well, at least try to. The iconic picture was taken in a practice session in 1997. 

“Big Mistake in the Kobe Bryant Relationship”: Shaquille O’Neal Gets Brutally Honest Over His Regrets in Life

“Kobe and Shaq during a 1997 practice at College of the Desert.” The caption under the original post read.

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal’s rise to a three-peat

Shaq made his debut in 1992. The Orlando Magic drafted him as their 1st pick overall. After playing with them for 4 seasons, the Lakers acquired Shaq. He had 4 years behind him and was all set to enter his prime. On the other hand, the Lakers got a young 18-year-old sensation who raised eyebrows even before he came on to the scene. Kobe made his debut in the same year Shaq played his first game for the Lakers. Although it wasn’t clear at the time, it was the start of something special for the years to come.

The Lakers were in transition during the 1996-97 season. The head coach at the time did not give Kobe a lot of minutes. But even at 18 years old, Kobe had recognized that he and Shaq would do something iconic in the coming years.

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WATCH THIS STORY: 5 things to learn from Kobe Bryant’s Mamba mentality.

It was in the 1999-2000 season that the Lakers hired the coach that had won the three-peat with the Chicago Bulls twice. As soon as Phil Jackson stepped into the Lakers’ camp, it was clear that they would be a special unit. Kobe and Shaq led the Lakers to a three-peat from 2000 to 02.

Their legacy was unmatched, and the duo was superior to any other. They are one of the greatest duos to ever grace the game of basketball. Right up there with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Two players who had a timeless effect on the NBA.