Shaquille O’Neal Recalls Endearing MVP Moment With Kobe Bryant, Reveals Why Black Mamba Thanked Him

Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant were teammates for a total of eight seasons and they accomplished a historic three-peat from 2000 to 2002.

Former Los Angeles Lakers superstar Shaquille O’Neal recalled a heartwarming moment with former teammate Kobe Bryant from the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend. Both Bryant and Shaq were named co-MVPs following their impressive run in the star-studded clash. While Black Mamba ended the All-Star Game in Phoenix with 27 points, four rebounds, and four assists, Shaq had 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists.

Recently, Shaq revealed how Bryant’s actions after winning the Co-MVP Award made him emotional. Speaking on The Big Podcast with Shaq, the Four-time NBA Champion said, “As much as I miss Kobe, one of my favorite days was at the All-Star game in Phoenix. It was toward the end of my career. I made it and he kept dropping me off and it felt like the old days.”

“At the end when we both got MVP, he gave the trophy to my son, grabbed me, and said ‘Thank you, big fella. You always stayed on my a** and I love you for that.’ That sh*t almost brought tears to me, but the fact that he took the trophy and gave it to little Reef… cause you know Kobe ain’t emotional,” the 15-time NBA All-Star added.

Kobe to Shaq after the 2009 All-Star game:

“Thank you, big fella. You always stayed on my a** and I love you for that.” pic.twitter.com/z6wKL7qSkl
— The Big Podcast (@bigpodwithshaq) April 25, 2025

Notably, Shaq and Black Mamba formed one of the greatest duos in the history of the league during their time on the franchise. Both were teammates for a total of eight seasons and they accomplished a historic three-peat from 2000 to 2002.

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What Was Kobe-Shaq Rivalry Like?

While Bryant and O’Neal were unstoppable on the court, they didn’t get along off the court. Their rivalry began in 1998, two years after both players joined the LA Lakers. While earlier it was reported that Shaq was jealous of Bryant’s jersey sales, their feud came into light during the 2000-01 season when the former came into camp out of shape.

Later, during the 2003-04 season when Bryant was dealing with rape accusation, Shaq’s remarks about the team further instigated things. Black Mamba was upset at his teammate for not reaching out to him during his legal troubles and stated that Shaq was “supposed to be my friend.” After the Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in five games in the NBA Finals, their feud reached a boiling point.

Shaq O’Neal demanded a trade from the Lakers, and the franchise ended up moving him to Miami Heat. On the other hand, Bryant signed a long-term extension with the Gold and Purple Brigade. While both weren’t on great terms at first, but after partying ways, they put their hostilities aside later when they became teammates again for a brief period of time.

The All-Star Game in 2009 was the first and last time post 2004 when they were teammates. The on-court rivalry between them finally came to an end in 2010-11 when Shaq retired from the NBA. Following it, there were numerous incidents when the 53-year-old heaped praises on his former teammate. Their beef ended completely when Shaq said that he “lost a little brother” following Bryant’s demise in a fatal helicopter crash in 2020.

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Kobe Bryant

Shaquille O’Neal

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.