Shaquille O’Neal wasn’t the only person who didn’t have the best relations with Kobe Bryant at the turn of the century. Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Smush Parker shared the backcourt with the Black Mamba for a couple of seasons but there was animosity between them. That dislike for Bryant is how O’Neal helped him secure the most significant deal of his basketball journey. In a recent interview with DJ Vlad, Parker recounted the story of his encounter with O’Neal at the iconic New York nightclub, 4040.

The two saw each other at the club and had a few exchanges about Bryant. And soon they formed a bond. When the Big Aristotle discovered that Parker was a free agent with no idea where his next stop was, O’Neal decided to help him. “He made a phone call and the next day I had you know, you know, a contract on the table with the Miami Heat,” shared Parker.

The Los Angeles Lakers legend soon made a phone call right there sitting at the nightclub and soon, Parker was offered a two-year deal with the Heat. While Parker’s stint with the Miami Heat was cut short due to injuries, his experience of playing alongside Dwyane Wade and the Lakers icon left an impression on him.

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However, does a part of the credit also go to Bryant? After all, the two started talking thanks to their beef with the 5x champion.

Smush Parker’s Beef with Kobe Bryant

During an appearance in the podcast “Pablo Torres Finds Out,” Parker shared an intriguing aspect of his relationship with the legend. He revealed that Bryant refused to talk to him until Parker had enough accolades in his career. “The man never spoke to me…I was his co-worker. Like we shared a cubicle side-by-side. How do you do that for two seasons and never hold a conversation?” asked Parker.

Following that, Bryant also openly criticized Parker, stating he believed Parker shouldn’t have been in the NBA. “Smush Parker was the worst…He shouldn’t have been in the NBA, but we were too cheap to pay for a point guard. We let him walk on,” said Bryant in an interview.

During Parker’s brief stint in the 2007-08 season, he played nine games for the Miami Heat and after that, he joined the Los Angeles Clippers and played for 19 games. During his time with the Heat, Parker averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section below.

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