“One Day We’re Going To Get Them Back”: Author Details Shaquille O’Neal’s Message to Kobe Bryant After 1997 Playoffs Meltdown
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Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal were one of the most dominant duos in NBA history. They won three championships together and personally feature on a number of pages in the history books. However, before their dominance, the duo took some time to settle in and adjust with each other.
According to an excerpt from Jeff Pearlman’s “Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty,” rookie Kobe Bryant and Shaq shared an emotional moment after a meltdown against the Utah Jazz.
Kobe was no ordinary rookie, even during the regular season Kobe showed an overwhelming amount of faith in his skills. This is what an 18-year-old Kobe told Del Harris (the then head coach of the Lakers).
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“Coach, if you can get Shaq out of the paint and give me the ball, I’ll beat anyone in the league one-on-one.” It was clear that Kobe had the potential and mentality to lead the franchise one day. But he still needed some time to hone his skills.
In the 1997 NBA Playoffs, Jazz comfortably sent the Lakers home in just five games. Although the Jazz were flat out better than the Lakeshow in Game 5, Kobe just went cold. During the final 5 minutes of the game, Bryant airballed 4 times! Yes, the great Kobe went ice cold in one of the biggest games of his rookie year.
Following this poor performance, Shaq was the one who consoled Kobe.
“Look at all these people laughing at you… One day we’re going to get them back. Don’t worry. Someday everybody’s going to be screaming your name. Take this and learn from it.”
Shaq’s prediction was absolutely correct: 20 years down the line, Kobe retired as one of the all-time greats in NBA history.
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Kobe Bryant: An unforgettable legend for the Lakers
During his 20 years with the purple and gold, Kobe Bryant built a great legacy for himself. He won five championships for the franchise and was loyal to its soil. Moreover, Kobe was always there for the Lakers, through thick and thin.
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Kobe joined the Lakers as a boy and retired as a man. In his last game, Mamba gave the fans one last taste of his magic, dropping 60 points in the game.
What’s your favorite Mamba moment over the course of his glorious career?
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