Whenever John Salley talks about the Lakers’ 2000 campaign, he always makes it sound like the wheels were in motion the year before. As history goes, Salley signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, brought the much-needed championship experience to Phil Jackson’s new squad, and played a noticeable supporting role to the two stars on the team. After being a big part of the Lakers dynasty, he only reveals now that his side-job as Shaq’s sitter began the year before. On the Bad Boys 4 promotion run, he reveals how his connection with Shaquille O’Neal began.

After his first three championships, Salley stayed in shape playing in Greece. But he kept an eye on the NBA, particularly the 1999 Lakers, who had a surprisingly short season by his reckoning. At this point Salley learned Phil Jackson’s signature triangle offense and won the 1996 championship with Michael Jordan and the Bulls. So Salley called his former coach to have a casual chat on how this team with two powerhouses like Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant could benefit from Phil Jackson.

“I said ‘you’re not going to let those two guys not win the championship, are you?’ And he goes ‘what do you mean?’ I go, ‘man, if they had the triangle offense that team is unbelievable.'” He didn’t know that Jackson was already looking at a new coaching job after his run with the Bulls ended in 1998. He asked Salley how did he found out that he had just accepted the job with the Lakers before the news was public. When they figured this was a fluke, Salley seized the opportunity and told Jackson to get him on the Lakers squad.

“I said ‘oh brother, you got to get me on the team, I live five doors from Shaq.'” That meant Salley could be Shaq’s personal tutor in the triangle offense. “I can explain the offense entirely different than you guys for the modern year.” And he convinced Phil.

Your friendly neighborhood DIESEL

The 1999-2000 season marked Salley’s return to the NBA. Although he spent most of the season on the bench, he was Shaq’s best support. He famously asked Jackson to let O’Neal rest. Even after being on the same team as MJ, he still holds O’Neal in high regard. Though he did disclose the Lakers paid him $1.3 million to babysit Shaq, his giant lil bro took care of him when he fell on tough times.

That friendship began when Salley urged Jackson to get him on the team. Jackson had him meet Jerry West, a GM as legendary as he was a player, in UCLA. Again he had to prove he was in shape to West and Jackson. His experience showed best.

Although he didn’t play much that season, with about 70 minutes total in the playoffs, Salley’s support to the team won Shaq and Kobe their first titles. He himself won his fourth ring and retired on a bang.