Kobe Bryant was an inspiration to millions. The five-time NBA champion was known for being a mentality monster. Kobe Bryant could often overcome obstacles just because of his mental strength. While his demise left people dismayed, his wife Vanessa has been fighting to protect the privacy of her late husband and daughter Gianna. She also found support from one of Kobe’s former teammates, Shaquille O’Neal.

Vanessa recently filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County after eight Sheriff’s Department deputies allegedly captured and circulated images of the crash scene that took the lives of nine people in January 2020. Ever since the trial started last week, there have been some startling revelations that have raised questions about the first responders.

Vanessa Bryant delivered an emotional testimony, revealing the emotional distress and mental anguish she has suffered. Bryant’s former teammate, Shaquille O’Neal also came forward to show support to Vanessa. Shaq revealed that even though they don’t talk a lot, they still have respect for each other, “Every time I see her, it’s a hug, it’s a laugh.”

“We live in a world where, especially when it gets to the internet, people don’t care“, the Los Angeles Lakers legend said. He added, “But those are pictures that I would never, ever want to see, so she’s doing a great thing by holding people responsible.”

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The trial, which has been going on for over a week, has undoubtedly been tough for Vanessa. She even left the trial midway during one of the accused deputies’ testimonies.

Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant had a topsy-turvy relationship

While Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant had great camaraderie, it didn’t start out that way for the two Los Angeles Lakers icons. During their stint together as teammates, they were infamously known for being at each other’s throats almost all the time.

The Lakers reportedly traded O’Neal because of Bryant. However, they developed a great relationship over the years based on their mutual respect for each other. O’Neal was one of the speakers at Kobe Bryant’s celebration of life after his unfortunate demise.

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Shaq reflected on the duo’s friendship and their time together. He called Kobe, “heaven’s MVP” and promised to continue his storied legacy that stretched far beyond the world of basketball.