Snoop Dogg has always been a die-hard Lakers fan, cheering for them for decades. His passion for the team only grew stronger during Shaquille O’Neal’s legendary run in Los Angeles and over time, Snoop and Shaq formed a tight bond, admiring each other’s talents. Both learned from each other and have always been big admirers of one another; Snoop even declared Shaq once to be the “biggest athlete rapper”. But it seems Shaq’s latest birthday tribute to Snoop might top it all.

Snoop Dogg recently shared a video on Instagram where Shaq wished him a happy birthday in his signature playful style. “Snoop D-O double mother fu**ing G. Happy birthday with your old ass,” Shaq joked. But what really caught fans’ attention was when Shaq made a wild claim, saying Snoop was the reason behind the Lakers’ iconic three-peat with Kobe Bryant. “Three-peat because of you, baby,” Shaq declared.

So, what’s the story behind it? Back in 2002, the Lakers were on a mission to claim their third straight NBA title. Snoop, always confident in his team, was sure they’d pull it off. He even recorded a track called “Purp & Yellow” before the Finals began hyping up the Lakers’ chances. Sure enough, the Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets in four games, sealing their legendary three-peat.

In fact, Snoop was right there when it all went down. He attended Game 4 of the Finals, fully decked out in Lakers gear. During the Hulu docuseries Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers, Snoop recalled, “I knew we was going to sweep these m*th*rf*ck*rs.” On the historic night, Snoop’s bro Shaquille O’Neal was unstoppable, dominating with 36 points and 12 rebounds, earning his third straight Finals MVP.

Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant was rising to his own stardom, averaging 26.8 points. Together, the duo cemented their place in NBA history, and it seems Snoop Dogg was along for the ride, cheering them on every step of the way.

Snoop, the biggest admirer of Shaq

Despite his massive success as an entertainer, Snoop Dogg has always found inspiration in Shaquille O’Neal, especially for his business moves. Comparing him to Lakers icon Magic Johnson, Snoop highlighted Shaq’s entrepreneurial spirit in an episode of the Impaulsive podcast. “I’m chasing Shaquille O’Neal right now,” Snoop shared, adding, “Shaq got so many m*th*rf*ck*ng commercials and businesses, and this is my friend. When I say I’m chasing him, it’s for the right reasons.”

In fact, Snoop has always admired how Shaq transitioned from the basketball court to becoming a business mogul. “I’m just inspired by him,” Snoop added. “I love how he took his basketball career, put it on pause, and took his business. You forget he was a basketball player based off of how business-minded he became.” Interestingly, last year, Snoop took to Instagram to crown Shaq the “greatest NBA rapper of all time,” after the release of Shaq’s track “3 Locos” with the rap duo, Coyote.

The song had the internet buzzing, and it wasn’t just because of Shaq’s basketball fame. Coyote’s member, Guapo, revealed how the collaboration came to life, sharing, “We made a hardcore hip-hop ’90s-type song… and Shaq went off! He spit like 32 bars. He’s rapping better than 90% of rappers out there.” The entire track came together in just four hours; impressive, isn’t it? Share your take on this in the comments below.