Forcing Shaq Into the Spotlight, Ex-NBA Player Breaks Kobe Bryant Myth Despite 7ft Lakers Legend’s Denial

Shaquille O’Neal has been nostalgic during the Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics. Nothing new there. But what he said was a little eyebrow-raising. He confessed he was not the best player during the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty he was part of. He seemed to almost imply he was a role player whose role was to be dominant, which he undoubtedly was. Kind of not how most people remember it though, given Shaq was the Finals MVP each time during that three-peat. He stirred a side discourse on whether it was Shaq’s team or Kobe’s team or O’Neal was just playing it humble. Gilbert Arenas finds the whole notion ridiculous.

“It was Shaq’s team,” Arenas said on Gil’s Arena podcast before he understood the fan’s question. The guys at Gil’s Arena even drew a comparison to Jaylen Brown and the Celtics, but initially, Arenas scoffed at the notion of putting the burden on a person to make it sound like a “prestige of the past.” But when it came down to whether it was Shaq’s team or Kobe’s team, his mind was set.

“Shaquille O’Neal, that first championship, right, he was dominant, right. Kobe finished it off,” he said, possibly referring to when foul trouble caught Shaq and it was on 21-year-old Kobe Bryant to take on the offensive load while suffering from a leg injury against the Indiana Pacers in 2000.

In the 2000-01 run, he reminded everyone that Bryant was memorable in the playoffs but Shaq was dominant against the Allen Iverson-led 76ers in the Finals, including that infamous moment he took on Dikembe Mutombo. But Arenas made a very valid point. “Different series require somebody else to step up.”

Though he believes that was Shaq’s team, Arenas calls the culture of elevating one player by putting down the #2 “weird.” As Arenas said, for example, “Kobe wouldn’t win without Shaq, but Shaq gets all the credit for his championships.” 

Hence, even if No Chill Gil believes Shaq was in fact an important part of the Lakers’ three-peat, he can’t set him apart from Kobe and his teammates. “Why do we even waste our time even trying to pick at people’s legacy like this?” That was not what Shaq was trying to do but it sure did become that way.

Shaquille O’Neal trivialized himself

Jason Kidd remarked about ‘The Jays’ (Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum) as a duo and Shaq drew a comparison to his partnership with Kobe during a Game 2 appearance on NBA TV. “In my Lakers runs, I wasn’t the best player on the team, I knew that, but I knew I was the most dominant,” he said and advised the Jays to play their part instead of focusing on “useless titles.”

He didn’t explicitly name him, but he implied that Bryant was the best player and no sidekick. This isn’t a new opinion by him but most remember history differently. Shaq averaged 35.9 points, 15.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists during his reign as MVP. Bryant was good, but still a little green.

It wouldn’t be Kobe’s team till Shaq left and Bryant had sidekicks like Ron Artest or Pau Gasol. Thus confirming Arenas’ statement that there will always be a #2 who deserves more than “diluted credit.”

If you want more on this epic matchup, here is what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.