Kobe Bryant Explains Why He Couldn?t Have Spent His Entire Career Playing With Shaq | Complex

Keeping it real. There is a lot of truth to how he would have been portrayed had they played together the majority of his career.

So at some point, I was going to have to take that challenge. And it was either going to you [Media] would write it or I'm going to write it, but I had to take that challenge.

Very selfish of Kobe, but again, that's what makes Kobe Kobe.

Mamba the realest. Love to make fun of him and those who stan for him, but I'm going to miss him.

So then, being "the man" was more important to him than winning?

So then, being "the man" was more important to him than winning?

 

How did you feel about LeBron going to Miami?

How did you feel about LeBron going to Miami?

 

Terrible. I thought that team was too close to winning to leave.

You guys act like it's normal for the best two players on the planet at the time to team up together. Hardly ever happens. So it's not shocking that he wanted to get out of the shadow of Shaq.

Keeping it real. There is a lot of truth to how he would have been portrayed had they played together the majority of his career.

 

That is the thing, Shaq really only had two good years left after he left the Lakers and he wasn't even the best player on those teams those years. When he went to Miami Wade was the best player on that team, and he was the side kick. I think it would have been similar if Shaq stayed in LA, with how others would have noticed how it became Kobe's team with Shaq becoming the side kick the last few seasons.

 

With that said I don't think the Lakers would have won anymore titles with that combination together even if Shaq hadn't left. It was the best move for Kobe, Shaq and the Lakers to move on. If Shaq stays, then who knows if the Lakers even go on to win the 2 more titles they eventually won with Kobe because Shaq staying could have hurt in the building of their future teams that did win titles.

Kobe's ego essentially prevented D Wade from becoming Allen Iverson 2.0, got LeBron his first Finals appearance, and turned the most dominant big man in the NBA into a journeyman. I think that's what we're supposed to gather from this.

You guys act like it's normal for the best two players on the planet at the time to team up together. Hardly ever happens. So it's not shocking that he wanted to get out of the shadow of Shaq.

 

When we're Shaq and Duncan teammates.

Kobe's ego essentially prevented D Wade from becoming Allen Iverson 2.0, got LeBron his first Finals appearance, and turned the most dominant big man in the NBA into a journeyman. I think that's what we're supposed to gather from this.

 

Shaq was no where near as dominant of a player for any other team as he was for the Lakers. He was on the down side of his career, it took Wade going off in the finals against the Mavs for him to get his 4th title, because he was no longer just physically dominating games like he use to.

 

Shaq wasn't in Cleveland when Lebron went to the finals for the first time was he?

You guys act like it's normal for the best two players on the planet at the time to team up together. Hardly ever happens. So it's not shocking that he wanted to get out of the shadow of Shaq.

 

That is happening a lot more now a days. However back then yes you didn't see guys want to share the spotlight with another star player.

Shaq was no where near as dominant of a player for any other team as he was for the Lakers. He was on the down side of his career, it took Wade going off in the finals against the Mavs for him to get his 4th title, because he was no longer just physically dominating games like he use to.

 

Shaq wasn't in Cleveland when Lebron went to the finals for the first time was he?

 

Nope. I admittedly wasn't in to the NBA during this time, so I don't know what was happening with Shaq. My lone memory of him after Miami is of him diving out of bounds in a Suns jersey.